THE Bluff Ratepayers and Residents Association (BRRA) expressed deep disappointment following the revelations contained in the recent statement from the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry regarding the more than R1 billion in unspent grants allocated for urgently needed infrastructure upgrades.

Chairperson of the association Norman Gilbert said the report highlights what residents across eThekwini already experience daily, such as

• Deterioration of water and sanitation systems,
• Failing stormwater infrastructure,
• Lack of urgency in addressing basic services.

“For the municipality to be in possession of such significant funding while communities are left to contend with collapsed roads, recurring water outages, and flooding is nothing short of a betrayal of public trust,” said Gilbert.

He said the reasons cited for the under-expenditure, bureaucratic delays, and lack of urgency, are unacceptable in the face of worsening living conditions for residents.

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“These missed opportunities not only undermine public confidence but also exacerbate the social and economic challenges already faced by our communities,” he said.

Chief growth officer for the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Zanele Khomo, said in a statement Durban’s water and sanitation system is under severe strain, with much of its infrastructure, such as pipelines and treatment facilities, ageing and deteriorating.

“The growing water demand continues to place additional pressure on the system. Furthermore, poor management of the City’s stormwater networks is increasing the City’s vulnerability to flooding. These challenges have become a serious concern for businesses, many of which are experiencing operational downtime and have been forced to explore alternative options to sustain their operations.

“Despite these challenges and the urgent need to upgrade deteriorating infrastructure, the capital budget is on a declining trajectory. According to the Durban EDGE (2025), National Treasury guidelines indicate that 20% of the total budget should be allocated to capital infrastructure expenditure. However, in our current  budget, 9.95% has been allocated for capital expenditure, which is far below the recommended threshold.”

The Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry believes that efforts should be focused on:

1. Improving the regulatory framework
2. Regular maintenance, refurbishment, and replacement of critical infrastructure.
3. Increasing infrastructure investment through private-public partnerships
4. Non-Revenue water reduction

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