With the New Year barely three weeks old, Endumeni residents are pushing back against what they describe as a town in decline amid failing service delivery.

In Dundee and Glencoe, frustration has reached the point where residents are filling potholes themselves. Motorists in Dundee report damaged tyres and rims on Victoria Street, while residents in Glencoe say some roads have become unsafe to use.

Storm damage and water woes

Road conditions have been worsened by a series of storms that hit the greater Endumeni area in late December. Ward 7 councillor Saleem Abdool said the damage followed on from the devastating December 2023 storm, which caused more than R130 million in losses.

“Despite our submission to the Province for disaster relief, Endumeni received no assistance,” Abdool said.

Water outages have added to residents’ anger. Strathmore Park has been without water for more than two weeks, while parts of Glencoe and Lindelani have been dry for even longer.

Willie Steenberg of the Endumeni Residents Association said the Mpati Mountain purification plant is struggling to meet demand. “The plant, managed by uThukela Water, is not receiving sufficient supply from the Tayside pump station,” he said, adding that the mayor had visited Strathmore Park to assess the situation.

Abdool, who accompanied the Courier on an in loco inspection, said several Glencoe roads require full rehabilitation, including Riverview, Wasbank and Schroeders roads. He also raised concerns about sewage leaking into streams.

“Our residents are battling to pay service charges while coping with these failures,” he said. “We urgently need a costed repair plan so funding can be considered in the adjustment budget.”

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