Budget cuts stall housing projects in Gamalakhe
According to the KZN Department of Human Settlements, budgets have been cut for some projects and planned projects have been suspended.
The country’s economic challenges have started to affect communities as National Treasury has cut its departmental budgets and limited its expenditure.
The KZN Legislature’s Human Settlement Portfolio Committee members and community members from Ugu District heard this from officials of the KZN Department of Human Settlements recently.
Human settlement’s senior finance official Veronica Mlaba told the portfolio committee at a stakeholder engagement meeting at the Ward 5 Community Hall in Gamalakhe that budgets have been cut for some projects and planned projects have been suspended.
Mlaba said the department builds houses and creates jobs, but unemployment increases as they are no longer able to undertake as many projects, leading to fewer housing projects implemented in Ugu District and the province.
The department’s provincial budget is R3.2b and Ugu is allocated R151,597,840 for 2026/2027.
Linda Nzama from Gamalakhe complained about unfinished housing projects. “One of these projects is Zibambeleni. The ward councillor called us recently and said R4m has been allocated for this project to continue, but it’s still stagnant,” said Nzama.
Mdumiseni Cele also from Gamalakhe echoed Nzama’s sentiments and said that the Zibambeleni project is three years old and that there is no progress. “Please prioritise Gamalakhe residents, they need houses.”
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