Concerns raised over infrastructure failures at eThekwini council meeting

Discussions at the eThekwini Municipal Council meeting from its multiple page agendas had been reduced to discuss only a few items on Friday. 

This was due to the fact that the council meeting was postponed on Thursday due to a power outage at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre (ICC) in Durban. 

Councillor Thabani Ndlovu, DA eThekwini spokesperson, said this incident is yet another glaring example of how the ongoing service delivery failures in eThekwini are severely impacting the municipality's ability to govern effectively. Ndlovu said this failure of service delivery is not just a disruption to council business, but it directly impacts the lives of the people who live and work in this city. 

“The inability to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply is symbolic of the broader infrastructure failures we face in eThekwini. From regular power outages to water shortages and inconsistent waste management, our city is grappling with a lack of leadership and accountability,” Ndlovu said. 

Councillor Jay Singh of the United Independent Movement (UIM) voiced his concerns. Singh said as a facility recognised as world-class, the ICC’s inability to maintain a consistent power supply raises serious questions about its infrastructure and operational reliability. 

“This incident not only disrupts scheduled events but also jeopardises the reputation of eThekwini as a premier destination for international conferences and exhibitions,” Singh said. 

Singh said the implications of this power outage extend beyond immediate inconveniences; it poses potential financial burdens on local ratepayers. A decline in event bookings could lead to reduced revenue streams, ultimately impacting taxpayers through increased funding requirements for local government services.

Singh emphasised the need for urgent improvements in municipal infrastructure to ensure that facilities like the ICC can meet basic operational needs. 

Items such as the proposed tariff increase of 9.9% for domestic refuse removal user charge; the review of the Indigent Policy and motions on Cleansing and Solid Waste (CSW) truck maintenance, electricity at informal settlements, potholes and streetlights were not discussed on Friday.

eThekwini speaker Thabani Nyawose stated that these items would be discussed at a meeting scheduled for next week. On Thursday, he said a fault on one of the cables, feeding a power supply to the area, was damaged and this caused the meeting to be adjourned.

zainul.dawood@inl.co.za