Municipal councils in KwaZulu-Natal have until November 23 to be constituted.
This was stated by Sihle Zikalala, KZN Premier, during a media briefing on Monday.
With the IEC declaring the results on November 8, municipalities have a 14 day deadline to be constituted as required by law, said Zikalala.
“District municipalities on the other hand are required to convene fourteen days after the last local municipality in that district, constitutes itself," said Zikalala.
This means that district municipalities will likely be constituted at different intervals but the deadline for them is December 7.
All local municipalities are expected to have completed their first meetings on November 23, said Zikalala.
“The only instances where local municipalities may go beyond this date is when there is a need to postpone the meeting in cases where the election of one or more office bearers results in a tie,” said Zikalala.
In such cases, results are determined through “drawing of a lot”, said Zikalala.
With a record of 21 municipalities hung in KZN, Zikalala said challenges are expected but has faith that political parties will work together.
“We trust that parties will continue persuading each other and avoid political theatrics that may end up paralysing municipalities and hamper the delivery of services,” he said.
Sipho Hlomuka, MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, said his department was ready to intervene should any challenge arises in any municipality during the reconstitution period.