The eThekwini Municipality has come under fire over the management of the Old North Coast Road rehabilitation project after approving an additional R27 million to complete the upgrade and widening of the route in Ward 110.
The funding allocation was revealed during a recent council meeting and has sparked criticism from opposition parties and security service providers, who argue that ongoing delays and escalating costs continue to burden residents, businesses and motorists using the area.
As of February 2026, the municipality had spent approximately 98% of the project’s budget, with more than R218.3 million of the allocated R222 million already expended. The contract, which began in May 2023, has now exceeded R222 million in costs.
DA proportional representative councillor Rowena Bosman said while the Democratic Alliance supports infrastructure development, the project highlights deeper concerns around planning, accountability and project management within the municipality.
“The Democratic Alliance has always supported the building and upgrading of infrastructure. Roads, bridges, water and sanitation systems are the backbone of any city, but support for infrastructure does not mean blind endorsement of mismanagement,” she said.
“What we are seeing today is not simply a delayed road project — it is symptomatic of a deeper culture of no accountability and no consequence management.”
Bosman pointed to the Old North Coast Road project in Glen Anil as an example of repeated delays and budget shortfalls.
“Phase one was due for completion in June 2026, yet repeated delays and poor budgeting have left residents and business owners bearing the costs. Two weeks ago, Council was told the project was 92% complete. Days later, we learned that funds had been depleted, contractors left unpaid for three months, and workers sent home,” she said.
According to Bosman, the issue reflects a broader pattern within municipal project management.
“One stalled or failed initiative is propped up by depriving another. Funds are constantly reprioritised, not according to planning or accountability, but according to crisis management, and the result is predictable — endless delays, ballooning costs and communities left stranded,” she said.
She added that residents and businesses along the route have suffered financial losses, inconvenience and growing frustration as deadlines continue to shift.
Bosman questioned whether the latest funding injection would guarantee completion of the project.
“How many more deadlines will be missed? At what point do we stop pouring taxpayers’ money into projects that are chronically under-budgeted and risk never reaching conclusion, no matter how much funding is reprioritised?” she asked.
She argued that infrastructure projects should be supported by realistic budgets, transparent reporting and effective consequence management when deadlines are missed or funds are mismanaged.
“The Old North Coast Road project must be completed — but not at the expense of every other stalled project in this city. We demand that council insists on proper consequence management, that officials responsible for repeated failures are held to account, and that reprioritisation is no longer used as a crutch for poor planning,” Bosman said.
The impact of the prolonged roadworks has also been felt by emergency response services operating in the area.
Marshall Security Community Support’s Andreas Mathios said delays caused by construction affect response times during emergencies.
“The inconvenience of this construction is that as emergency services, if there’s a fire in the proximity of the roadworks, then firefighters and medical personnel have to take alternate routes, which costs time. The golden hour is critical in saving lives,” said Mathios.
“When it comes to armed response, we are also affected because we are aiming to assist someone who’s in desperate need of first responders, which costs time, fuel, wear and tear of the vehicles, and the safety and security of the community that we are protecting.”
In response to criticism, the municipality stated that the additional funding is necessary to mitigate safety risks, reduce potential legal exposure and ensure the successful completion of the project.
Despite the assurances, concerns remain over whether the latest funding allocation will bring the long-running project to completion or further deepen frustrations among residents and businesses affected by the ongoing construction.
