Endumeni mayor says pothole war stalled by dodgy tender probe

Mayor Mkhize admits pothole repairs stalled by a suspect tender now under investigation, but vows residents will soon see real progress.

November 28, 2025

Terry Worley 1 minute read

Image of Endumeni Mayor Mkhize and Councillor Saleem Abdoo. — Mayor Mcebo Mkhize is welcomed by Councillor Saleem Abdool. Photo: Terry Worley,

Endumeni Mayor Mcebo Mkhize has admitted the municipality is “not winning the war on potholes” — a setback he says is directly linked to a questionable tender now under investigation.

The mayor was speaking at his 365-day report-back meeting, where he reflected on a turbulent first year in office. Mkhize, appointed at age 27, began his term with a promise of “all-out war” on service delivery failures and corruption.

Tender under scrutiny

Mkhize said a flawed procurement process for premix — essential for pothole repairs — caused major delays.

“I cannot lie. There have been elements that slowed us down,” he said. “MPAC is investigating, and we acted swiftly.”

MPAC chair Cllr Naresh Gopie confirmed there were “nefarious activities afoot”, saying the lowest tender was about R400,000 while the winning bid was double that. New bids were opened publicly last week.

Stabilising leadership, fixing finances

The mayor said stabilising senior management and improving revenue collection remain key priorities. The municipality has hired Revco to boost income, while a R90-million National Treasury-funded smart meter rollout aims to curb electricity theft — a major factor in the municipality’s R300-million Eskom bill.

He acknowledged inheriting a troubled administration, including an overdue corruption report and a recent disclaimer audit finding.

“This will be my first financial report. I want a huge improvement,” he said. “We have a recovery blueprint and we will correct these failures.”