Endumeni entered 2025 with a new 27-year-old mayor, Mcebo Mkhize, at the helm, who took over the chain of office from the ousted Siyabonga Ndlovu late last year.
Determined to understand the challenges first-hand, he joined a Mayoral Ride-Along with members of the Endumeni Residents Association (ERA) and municipal officials.

Young mayor vows to ‘fix the basics’

The ride-along was far from ceremonial. Instead, it exposed the harsh realities facing the municipality after years of neglect.
“As a young man, I am eager to see these challenges for myself and prioritise action to get our towns back on track,” Mkhize said.

One of the most visible issues was the lack of enforcement of municipal bylaws. Overgrown, vacant properties have become magnets for anti-social behaviour and crime, particularly in the CBD.
“We cannot have people living in unhealthy conditions in our central business district. It reflects poorly on our town, and we must act,” he added.

The mayor also visited severely damaged roads, especially in the industrial area, as well as Glencoe and the surrounding communities. He said he had “declared war” on fixing the basics: potholes, street lights and stormwater drains.

ERA representative Willie Steenberg noted that while 2025 had delivered “positive moments, there is still a long way to go”. Another ride-along is planned to assess progress.

Water shortages continue to plague communities

Water remained a major source of frustration across Endumeni. On Valentine’s Day, residents from several communities marched to the Umzinyathi District Municipality offices to hand over a memorandum demanding urgent action.
Although commitments were made, water shedding has continued in most areas.

A Water Summit attended by the national CoGTA Velenkosini Hlabisa raised hopes, but firm resolutions were limited. Plans included drilling boreholes in all areas and increasing the maintenance budget.

Looking ahead to 2026

With local government elections looming in 2026, residents will be hoping for a fresh start and real improvements on the ground.

Fed up with ongoing water cuts, members of all communities marked Valentine’s Day with a march on the Umzinyathi Municipal offices. Photo: Kevin Ross.

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