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.

Kanku Road Housing Project: A Step Toward Dignified Living for Isipingo Residents

*Location:** Kanku Road, Ward 90, Isipingo, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal
*Budget:** R70 million – R170 million
*Date of Start:** June 1, 2020
*Date of Handover:** June 28, 2023
*Units Completed:** 360 semi-detached homes
*Beneficiaries:** Families from Isipingo Transit Camp (displaced during the 2010 FIFA World Cup and subsequent natural disasters)

Key Events & Dates:

*March 2020:** The eThekwini Municipality officially launched the Kanku Road Housing Project, aiming to build 360 semi-detached, double-storey homes with full services for residents of the Isipingo Transit Camp. This project was part of an effort to provide better housing for those living in temporary camps since the 2010 World Cup and later displaced by floods.
*June 1, 2020:** Construction commenced, starting with infrastructure works such as water systems, roads, and sewage.
*February 2021:** Progress was slowed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and protests from residents frustrated by delays.
*March 9, 2023:** Of the 360 planned homes, 147 were completed. Full completion was expected by June 2023.
*June 28, 2023:** Official handover of the homes to families, with 360 units completed. The handover ceremony was attended by national, provincial, and municipal officials, including Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi and eThekwini Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda.
*August 2023:** Some families entered homes before official municipal approval, claiming rightful status as beneficiaries, sparking tensions and protests.
*April 2025:** Issues with sewage overflow and sinkholes in the area were reported, causing dissatisfaction among residents and ratepayers.

Project Stakeholders:

*eThekwini Municipality**: Lead organization responsible for the project’s planning and execution.
*Project Preparation Trust (PPT)**: Assisted with planning and infrastructure setup.
*National and Provincial Government**: Supported through funding and policy direction.
*Beneficiaries**: Displaced families from Isipingo Transit Camp, many of whom had been living in temporary conditions since 2010.

Issues & Challenges:

*Delays**: Initial delays due to COVID-19 and a slow start with infrastructure construction.
*Verification and Occupancy**: Tensions arose in 2023 when some families occupied homes without final municipal verification, leading to protests.*Service Delivery**: Complaints of sewage system failure and sinkholes arose in 2025, further frustrating residents and ratepayers.

Conclusion:

The Kanku Road Housing Project represents a significant effort to provide permanent housing to displaced residents of Isipingo. While the project has faced delays and service delivery issues, the completed homes offer a step toward addressing long-standing housing needs in the area. Moving forward, addressing service issues and ensuring proper allocation processes will be crucial to the project’s ongoing success.

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.

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.”

The Department of Transport successfully launched the 8th United Nations Global Road Safety Week on Sunday, 11 May 2025, at Soldiers Way CBD Taxi Rank in Durban, KwaZuluNatal. The event, held under the theme “Make Walking and Cycling Safe,” focused on raising awareness about the safety of pedestrians and cyclists.
The Deputy Minister of Transport, Mkhuleko Hlengwa, is actively participating in the UN’s Global Road Safety Campaign, which runs from Sunday, 11 May to Friday, 16 May 2025 in Durban.

As part of the campaign, this event at the taxi rank was aimed to educate taxi drivers and commuters on the importance of road safety when using public transport. The Deputy Minister was joined by officials from the Provincial Department of Transport, eThekwini MMC for Transport, Human Settlements and Engineering, Councillor Themba Mvubu, law enforcement officials, and representatives from various civil society organizations, including SANTACO and various stakeholders.

The launch marked the start of a week-long series of activities held in line with the global UN Road Safety Week, observed from 12 to 18 May 2025

The bank has been under strain for the past few months after a repayment administrator was appointed by the Prudential Authority to oversee the issue of customer deposits in the bank.

The matter came to a head on Thursday when it was announced that the Prudential Authority had decided to bring a court application to liquidate the bank. As a result the bank was ordered to cease its deposit and withdrawal functions. This occurred without any public warning, meaning the bank’s customers found out about the decision when they tried to use their bank cards and the transactions were declined.

Money for stokvels, funeral clubs, and co-operatives is now trapped in the bank, with depositors of those funds unable to access them.

Sandile Nkosi, a councillor in the Ingwavuma area, described the situation as “tense”.

“There is a lot of anger and frustration; the community feels like they have been robbed of their money.

“This situation went off like a bomb. The customers were not informed about it; their funds are trapped there and they cannot withdraw their money. The customers should at least have been informed that they must move their money to other banks.”


Nkosi said Ithala was the only bank in the community and, without it, the town could die.

“The shops and everything in this town rely on this bank to function. With this decision, it means that people will now have to travel to Jozini to access other banks to withdraw their money once they have access to it. Jozini is about 50km away, and the transport fare is almost R50 by bus and close to R100 by taxi.”

Nkosi said even the payment of social grants relied on the bank and he was worried about what would happen with the February grants.


“I have had calls from business people complaining that they have R50 000 stuck inside the Ithala Bank accounts and cannot access it. The bank is closed, and the customers do not have anyone they can go to for help.”

A customer of the bank, who works at a local crèche, said they were told by bank officials that many customers might have access to their money by the end of the month.

Another customer said: “This has traumatised us. There was no thought given to us as a community in this issue because this is the only bank that we have here.


“We received a message at midnight on Thursday that Ithala was closing its doors. We rushed there on Friday morning only to find that the place was now closed,” she said.

Thembeni Msweli, a businesswoman, said the Ithala saga had caused friction between her and her workers.

“I was supposed to pay my employees on Friday. When I inserted the card to withdraw money, it was declined. I later got a message saying everything has been frozen.”

Mfananaye Mathe, mayor of the Jozini Local Municipality, said thousands of people were dependent on Ithala.

“This decision is going to push people and businesses out of that area. If people have to travel to Jozini to access a bank, they will buy whatever they need there, which means the shops in Ingwavuma will go out of business.”