Ward 60 Councillor Fakazi Mdletshe during a site visit to the Redcliffe Housing Project to inspect progress made thus far. The R84 million housing project will change the lives of 600 families once it is complete. Picture: THEMBA KHUMALO

WORK to build more than 600 houses in Ward 60 has begun. The R84 million Redcliff Housing Project began last month following the introduction of the contractor to the community by Ward 60 Councillor Fakazi Mdletshe. He said following the introduction of the contractor, the infrastructure for services including water, sanitation and electricity was being implemented before construction started.

Councillor Mdletshe said the project will also bring the development of roads, passages, infrastructure upgrades and other developments. “Several people will also benefit from short-term employment. We also have many local companies who will be subcontracting in various stages of the project.”

Location: Umlazi T-Section, Ward 89, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal
Type: Community rental housing for low-income households (R800–R3,500/month)

Client: eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality
Funding: KwaZulu-Natal Department of Human Settlements
Contractors: Varies by phase; Phase 1 handled by Mandlethu Projects (2009 pilot)
Project Value: Approx. R31 million – R60 million per phase
Total CRU investment in Umlazi area: Over R111 million

Phases and Dates:

2009 – Pilot phase began under Mandlethu Projects

2022 to 2024 – Phase 2: Construction of 54 units began, extended to April 2025

June 2024 – Tender issued for Phase 3A: 96 new units

November 2024 – Oversight visit confirmed 2 of 9 blocks were under construction

Challenges:

Delays from structural issues in old hostels

Tensions over procurement; DA and IFP questioned R19.1 million extension

Residents in nearby units faced poor services, non-payment issues

CRU design criticized for not matching cultural/household needs

The closure of the Newcastle furnace will result in the loss of over 1 300 direct jobs, with an estimated 2 200 indirect jobs at risk in the surrounding communities. This will exacerbate the already dire unemployment situation in South Africa, particularly in the rural areas where job opportunities are scarce. The economic spin-offs of the closure will be felt far and wide, with local businesses, suppliers, and service providers also facing financial ruin.


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The steel industry is a critical component of South Africa's economy, and the closure of the Newcastle furnace will have a ripple effect throughout the sector. The motor manufacturing industry, which relies heavily on locally produced steel, will be severely impacted, threatening the very existence of this critical sector. The consequences of this closure will be felt for generations to come, as the skills and expertise developed over decades are lost forever.

The threatened closure of Amsa’s Newcastle Furnace repeats a similar crisis when Amsa did likewise with its Saldanha Bay operations five years ago. Amsa’s possible exit would have similar catastrophic effects for its plants in Richard’s Bay and Vereeniging.

With a 41.09% unemployment rate, GDP growth barely breaking 1% and years of devastating de-industrialisation; this would be a blow we simply cannot afford.

Last week, PSiRA noted allegations against Pro Secure CEO Ferrel Govender, who was arrested alongside his brother, Darren. Both are accused of murdering uMhlanga businessman Shailen Singh. Singh, 32, was shot dead in uMhlanga on December 29, 2024.



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The brothers are awaiting a decision on their bail application in the Durban Magistrate’s Court.

On Monday, Pro Secure issued a statement in light of widespread speculation regarding the volatile status of the security service, which stated that PSiRA had suspended them.

“We would like to reassure our clients, partners, and the public that these claims are false and have been misrepresented by the media, social media platforms, and other service providers,” Pro Secure said.

The building was built during the time of the now defunct KwaZulu-Natal government under the late Inkosi Mangosuthu Buthelezi, then the Chief Minister, and has been lying idle for decades since the ANC-led government immediately abandoned the structure after taking power from the IFP in 2004.


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However, KZN Public Works and Infrastructure MEC Martin Meyer said it cannot be business as usual when such unused buildings drain the limited resources of the provincial government through rates and other related costs.

In a media briefing on Tuesday, the MEC said his department was busy finalising proposals which would be presented to the Cabinet on what to do with the building in order for it to be useful again.

“I think the media understands that this is a politically sensitive matter but I can confirm that in our proposal there are a couple of options that we will soon present to the cabinet for approval,” said the MEC.

On Monday, Mayor Mzimkhulu Thebolla launched the headquarters in the CBD on Church street.

Anthony Waldhausen is the chair of the Msunduzi Association of Residents' Ratepayers and Civics.

He said he is sceptical about whether there will be any change as already existing war rooms in several wards are dysfunctional.

READ: Fight against construction mafias ‘not over’ - Meyer

"We are actually quite sceptical having another war room in the municipality, you found we had functional waste management system we would not need to have a war room," said Waldhausen.

"We need to actually ensure that a proper waste management is implemented by the municipality, and you find that with our experience with all the residents engaging with them the war rooms they are dysfunctional."

Midlands EMS spokesperson, Ronald Robertson, said they were alerted to the incident, and an advanced life support team was dispatched to the scene to provide urgent medical assistance.



"On arrival, our team found one person who had sustained serious injuries and was in critical condition. Immediate advanced life support treatment was initiated to stabilise the patient," Robertson said.

He said rescue teams had to use specialised rescue equipment to ensure safe and effective care in a challenging environment.

After stabilisation at the scene, the patient was transported to a local trauma hospital for further treatment, Robertson said the patient was taken to a local trauma hospital for further treatment.

In a separate incident, also involving an animal, a young child was seriously injured while out horse riding.

Robertson said emergency teams raced to the scene in Howick, also in the KZN Midlands on Monday afternoon to find the injured child.

"Upon arrival, it was determined that a child had sustained serious injuries and required urgent advanced life support treatment.


"The child was stabilized on scene using specialised rescue equipment before being transported to a nearby hospital for further care," Robertson said.

seanne.rall@iol.co.za

At a memorial service in Pietermaritzburg for the late Yusuf Bhamjee, ANC member Zweli Mkhize emphasized the need for South African leaders to adopt Bhamjee's leadership style. Bhamjee, who passed away on January 3, 2025, served in various capacities within the ANC, including as a member of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature and as Mayor of the uMgungundlovu District Municipality.



Mkhize highlighted Bhamjee's ability to connect with comrades across the political spectrum and his role in fostering peace during a tumultuous period in the Natal Midlands. He noted that Bhamjee was an activist at heart, dedicated to addressing community challenges rather than seeking personal comfort in office.



According to Mkhize, Bhamjee's commitment to serving the people exemplified the empathy that originally drove the ANC. He lamented the shift in the party, where some members have become careerists focused on personal gain rather than community service. Mkhize pointed out that this change has hindered effective governance and service delivery.



He praised Bhamjee's leadership in the uMgungundlovu District, stating that he understood community needs and managed people effectively. Mkhize called for a return to the type of activism that Bhamjee embodied, urging ANC members to foster cooperation among South Africans of all backgrounds.

He concluded that Bhamjee's legacy should inspire a renewed commitment to serving communities and addressing their challenges.

It is understood sanitation pipes covered in vegetation in areas including Northdale and Riverside are preventing sewer teams from conducting maintenance.

Councillor Renisha Singh says it has been an issue for years, causing blockages and spills that overflow onto residents' premises.

"This is actually depriving the residents’ of quality of life. They can't even step into their backyard with the stench that is coming from this sewer overflow, and many of them have actually fallen ill. There are a few residents that have gotten doctors’ notes that their immune systems are being compromised."

READ: uThukela team to tackle sewage spills

She has urged uMsunduzi Municipality to resolve the issue.

"I have had several meetings and onsite meetings, including site visits with the entire sanitation team and the deputy mayor as the chair of the infrastructure portfolio, but after these meetings, there has been no response."