“We respect and uphold the constitutional right of all citizens and organizations to engage in peaceful protest and express their concerns,”
Umkhonto weSizwe Party in Harry Gwala region is expected to march to the Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma Local Municipality (NDZ) to voice out community concerns over service delivery. According to the organiser, the community has approached them, expressing dissatisfaction with the current state of service delivery in their area.
The Regional Organiser Bongani Msomi, pointed out concerns that led them to organise the march. “The community is questioning the Municipal Manager, with allegations of favouritism towards tender’s allocation, where it is reported he awards them to his close friends,” explained Msomi. He further mentions the allegations of R1.9 million spent on renovating a stadium with seemingly little work done. “Not only that there is a shred that was build but the community claims that it does not serve its initial purpose as the municipality claimed it would,” said Msomi.
The Municipality has confirmed awareness of the planned march by the MK Party scheduled for October 31, 2025, at Creighton Offices. According to Nqobile Vakalisa who is the Strategic Support Services Manager at NDZ, the party has followed necessary obligations in applying for the march, and municipal leadership will be present to receive their memorandum. “We respect and uphold the constitutional right of all citizens and organizations to engage in peaceful protest and express their concerns,” Vakalisa explained. The Municipality has been in communication with the organizers to ensure the march proceeds lawfully and peacefully, with minimal disruption to essential services. Relevant departments and law enforcement agencies have been engaged to ensure public safety and order.
The Municipality has strongly refuted allegations that the Municipal Manager has awarded tenders irregularly to companies associated with personal acquaintances. “The allegations are baseless and misleading,” the Municipality stated. “The Municipality follows a strict Supply Chain Management (SCM) process as guided by the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA), the Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act (PPPFA), and the Municipal Supply Chain Regulations. All procurement processes are transparent and subject to internal and external audits.”
The Municipality has emphasized that service delivery remains a top priority. While acknowledging challenges related to infrastructure backlogs, limited financial resources, and aging municipal assets, the Municipality has implemented interventions to accelerate service delivery. These include strengthened project management, improved performance monitoring, and community engagement through the Integrated Development Plan (IDP) review processes.
The Municipality has highlighted its commitment to transparency and accountability. The municipal management is transparent and accountable to the public, oversight structures, and stakeholders. Recent IDP Roadshows were conducted from October 14-16, 2025, where the Municipality reported on its achievements and allowed the public to provide comments on the Council-approved budget for the 2025/26 financial year.
Regarding the sports ground renovation project, the Municipality clarified that only R452,595 was allocated in the 2023/24 financial year for the fencing of Khilmon Sportsfield in Ward 4, contrary to claims of R1.9 million. The Municipality welcomes oversight and is committed to transparency, offering site inspections to clarify the project’s scope and progress. The municipal shed is used for protecting animals overnight and during inclement weather, in line with standard SPCA and KZN Pound Act requirements. The Municipality remains committed to addressing legitimate service delivery concerns and working collaboratively with stakeholders to improve service standards.
