Endumeni Municipality’s new municipal manager, Advocate Nontebeko Khambule, says a “fresh page” is being turned for the debt-ridden municipality, which owes Eskom over R300 million.

Speaking at an Endumeni Chamber of Business meeting, Khambule described the number of empty shops in Dundee as “disturbing” and stressed the urgent need for infrastructure upgrades.

“We must work with the Chamber of Business and community groups to stimulate growth and improve collections,” he said. He also reaffirmed his commitment to “getting the basics right” — fixing potholes, restoring streetlights, and clearing storm-water drains — using municipal staff instead of costly tenders.

Technical manager Mondli Buthelezi said 10,000 meters had been audited ahead of a roll-out of tamper-free smart meters. He confirmed that commercial users, not households, will face seasonal electricity tariffs in winter to align with Eskom charges. He warned that old electrical infrastructure is a major cause of outages.

Finance manager Bonga Mkhize highlighted the R550 million unfunded budget and illegal connections as major challenges, despite a 92% collection rate.

Endumeni Residents Association’s Willie Steenberg welcomed the frank approach but noted that local rates remain higher than in other Northern KZN towns. Chamber president Alan Schonken urged stricter bylaw enforcement to curb illegal trading, public drinking, and pavement blockages.

Khambule acknowledged the concerns and said that with a new management team in place, a turnaround is possible if all stakeholders work together.

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