Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za
3-minute read
08 March 2025 | 08:09 CAT

eThikwini in crisis – a city on the brink. (File photo, Daily Maverick)

Persistent service delivery failures in eThekwini have sparked outrage, as DA Ward 23 Councillor Alicia Kissoon raises alarm over the municipality’s handling of its capital budget. Following the March Finance Committee meeting, Kissoon painted a concerning picture of underinvestment, calling into question the city’s commitment to its residents.

“Every day I’m hearing in different areas there’s water outages, electricity outages, people are waiting days to get electricity restored,” Kissoon told Radio Islam International. “The priority for the administration is simply not enough for our residents.”

Her biggest concern? A stark mismatch between rates increases and deteriorating services. Despite rising costs for ratepayers, only seven to eight cents of every rand is reportedly going towards infrastructure upgrades. “That’s just unacceptable,” Kissoon said, arguing that the focus should shift from short-term fixes to long-term investment. “We need to not fix immediate problems, but we need to invest so we don’t have these problems going forward.”

Figures from the Finance Committee revealed only 7.8% of the budget was spent on capital projects. According to Kissoon, this translates directly to prolonged hardships for residents, including burst pipes, broken traffic lights, and lack of basic sanitation in informal settlements.

“It’s why your potholes are still there,” she added. “We’re literally just putting a plaster on big issues.”

The city’s use of grant funding is also under scrutiny. While documentation shows 96% of grant funds allocated, Kissoon warns this figure is misleading. “It’s on paper. It doesn’t match what’s happening on the ground,” she said, pointing to internal transfers and prepayments that inflate reported expenditure. Actual spending, she asserts, sits closer to just over 50%.

“If that funding is not finding its way to the ground… then what’s the point?” Kissoon asked, stressing the urgent need for transparency and accountability.

As infrastructure continues to fail residents, the city’s financial decisions remain under the spotlight, demanding both immediate action and long-term reform.

Listen to the full interview on Your World Today with Mufti Yusuf Moosagie and Councillor Alicia Kissoon here.