Durban North residents urged the eThekwini Municipality to focus on maintenance, as most service issues originate from there. As part of its 2025/26 Integrated Development Plan (IDP) Draft Budget Roadshow, ward 36 was invited to the eThekwini Community Church, while ward 110 was invited to the Stonebridge Hall a week later.
Ward 36 councillor, Heinz de Boer, said the 2025/26 budget is an “absolute farce”.
“Not only do the city want to hit us with large electricity and water hikes – they have almost completely cut Ward 36 out of the budget equation. It’s a slap in the face to one of the highest rate-paying areas in Durban and another reason this budget must be rejected.”
De Boer said despite the massive needs for road rehabilitation, speed humps, pavements, and intersection upgrades, as well as housing needs, residents still face this allocation. De Boer spoke about electricity increases and said it’s not fair due to Eskom’s mismanagement, adding how politics influences residents regardless of their political interests. “Politics and debate in a healthy environment is robust and actually good. It gives voters an opportunity to vote for whomever they think will have their back. Ward 36 has really been short-changed badly. An extensive budget wishlist was submitted to the city by the former councillor (Shontel de Boer). The line departments are very aware of the infrastructure challenges in the ward,” de Boer said.
Ward 110 DA community activist, Rowena Bosman, said maintenance is the main cause of all issues. She said: “What portion of the budget is allocated to maintenance, if any? Almost all our problems could be addressed if regular maintenance was carried out on streetlights, cleaning of streets, fixing leaks and replacing pipes, cleaning of sewers and stormwater drains.”
Residents unanimously stated that the proposed utility increases were exorbitant and would likely lead to more debt, as people are already struggling financially. They advocated for inflationary increases only. To address water leaks, residents proposed that the city should prioritise replacing aging pipes rather than repeatedly digging up roads. Additionally, they recommended prioritising streetlights, trimming trees to enhance safety, and focusing on road improvements and efficient waste collection.
Ward 36 was joined by wards 11, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 37, and 101, while ward 110 was joined by wards 48, 49, 50, 51, and 52.
