Abstract
This paper is an assessment of the relationship between perceived municipal performance (in rendering basic needs) and communities’ rejection/acceptance of amalgamations. The research attempts to answer the question “is there a correlation between municipal demarcation disputes and service delivery provision”. Data for this study was obtained using a quantitative approach. The findings indicate that part of the major contributor to municipal demarcation disputes is largely based on municipal performance, as communities reject amalgamation to municipalities perceived as underperforming in rendering services to their communities. Thus service delivery and municipal performance acts as the guiding principle and catalyst to many municipal demarcation disputes. What is perceived as demarcation disputes is largely the stimulus of service delivery provision disputes and underperformance of municipalities in rendering basic needs to the communities. Key words: Demarcations, disputes, municipalities, democracy.  
Highlights
In 2020, fourteen years after the incidents of Matatiele and Khutsong in South Africa, the rejection of municipal demarcation, such as the recent spills in Thlokwe and Vuwani protests against the Municipal Demarcation Board, still occur
Little has been written on the correlation between municipal performance, service delivery, and demarcation even though literature focuses on the types of demarcation and the outbreak of demarcation disputes while arguing that communities in South Africa reject demarcations
The majority of the respondents reported that they had a level of education beyond matric, yet the rural areas in South Africa are impacted by the post-apartheid era regarding their educational aspects
Summary
In 2020, fourteen years after the incidents of Matatiele and Khutsong in South Africa, the rejection of municipal demarcation, such as the recent spills in Thlokwe and Vuwani protests against the Municipal Demarcation Board, still occur. Community members in Vuwani rejected this coalition, which resulted in riots and the demolishing as well as burning of government properties and schools, with traditional leaders at the forefront of arguing against redemarcation. Little has been written on the correlation between municipal performance, service delivery, and demarcation even though literature focuses on the types of demarcation and the outbreak of demarcation disputes while arguing that communities in South Africa reject demarcations. This paper looks at municipal performance in terms of using service delivery as a contributing factor in the outcome status of demarcations.
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