Eric Naki

Luthuli House has set the ball rolling to find a lasting political solution to the demarcation impasse in Khutsong.

Hopes that Merafong would be reincorporated into Gauteng were raised when the ANC leadership, led by general secretary Gwede Mantashe, visited the area yesterday to meet stakeholders.

The meeting was so successful that the ANC might instruct parliament to reverse the controversial incorporation of the area into North West by the end of the month.

The meeting, held at the local police station, was attended by Mantashe and NEC deployees in North West, SACP Gauteng led by provincial chairman Nkosiphendule Kolisile, representatives of the Merafong Demarcation Forum and SACP North West and the party's Yusuf Dadoo district.

The meeting, which Kolisile described as "very positive", identified areas that needed to be thrashed out in future talks in which all stakeholders will make inputs on possible solutions.

Mantashe said yesterday that the ANC went to Merafong not to impose a solution, but to give direction to what needed to be done.

He said they were buoyed by the recent constitutional court ruling that a political solution should be explored.

"There is general acceptance that the matter needs to be resolved politically," he said. "It won't be a situation in which the ANC brings the solution. All parties must find a solution."

He said the two provincial governments, tripartite alliance partners and Merafong forum would hold a special summit on September 13 and 14 aimed at finding a solution.

"The groups will then present their agreement to the ANC on September 19 for a way forward," he said.