Briefing Room

I greet you all on this beautiful day as I deliver the  Section 52(d)  Fourth Quarter Budget and Performance Assessment Report as required by the MFMA. I table this report on a day that carries real weight in the history of the nation. It was in the last days of July 1947 that Anton Lembede died in Johannesburg at only 33 years of age. This week marks the 79th anniversary after his passing. Lembede gave his life under the conviction that Africans must be the architects of their own destinies in doing so, he shaped the generation of Mandela, Sisulu and Oliver Tambo who carried that conviction into the Programme of Action and, ultimately, into the democracy that we serve today. A young man's life's work, cut short so early, he could still be steering the direction for the people decades later.   We table the Fourth Quarter Assessment in that same spirit of discipline and accountability, the belief that the day-to-day work of governance, done honestly and consistently, is it...

KwaDukuza Mayor Siduduzo Gumede will on Friday, 24 July 2026, lead a massive anti-littering and illegal dumping clean-up campaign in the Groutville cluster, ahead of the Luthuli Walk and Fun Run to be held this Saturday. The clean-up is part of his rapid response to commitments he made at the launch of the 10th anniversary launch of the Luthuli Walk and Fun Run earlier this month, where he assured the Groutville community that the municipality will be working to develop the route between the Luthuli Museum and Luthuli Memorial site where Luthuli’s mortal remains were discovered. Operations have already been deployed to the area including route re-gravelling, tree felling and clean-up co-ordination ahead of the 11.5km Luthuli Fun Walk and 7.7km Fun Run that is to take place in Groutville on Saturday, 25 July 2026. Going forward, Gumede will also be engaging the council to appropriate a budget for the construction of a black-top road leading to the Luthuli memorial site. “As we comme...

KwaDukuza Mayor Siduduzo Gumede has indicated to the Deputy Minister for Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Ms Bernice Swarts that he will be using the upcoming Operation Sukuma Sakhe Cabinet visit to be hosted by KwaDukuza Municipality on 22 July 2026, as an opportunity to appeal for support in tackling environmental challenges, specifically illegal dumping. “The cabinet of KwaZulu-Natal will be descending to KwaDukuza in two weeks, one of the messages that I will be advancing and which is also on top of the list of my priorities is the war on illegal dumping that we are seeing spiralling out of control”. Gumede was addressing was addressing the Ministerial Electronic-Waste (E-Waste) Recycling Imbizo at Chris Hani Hall, which the deputy minister handed over 700 indigenous tress to local traditional communities within KwaDukuza. Gumede expanded, “The reality is that South Africa faces escalating climate risks; including rising sea levels threatening our coasts, extreme weather ...

KwaDukuza Mayor Siduduzo Gumede today, 03 July 2026, committed to commission the construction of a black-top access road leading to the Chief Albert Luthuli Memorial Site in honour of the enduring life and legacy of Chief Luthuli. “As we commemorate the 10 th  anniversary of the Chief Albert Luthuli Walk and Fun Run under the legacy of  the first African Nobel Peace Prize recipient, the municipality will be honouring Chief Luthuli for standing firm in the face of injustices, particularly in defence of the masses that toiled under apartheid. The is an important memorial site that deserves the necessary upgrades in honour of the  struggle of the freedom that we enjoy today.”   Gumede was addressing stakeholders at the memorial site  near the Umvoti River railway bridge  where Luthuli’s mortal remains  were discovered following his tragic death amid unresolved questions surrounding his murder in 1967. “58 years on,  the Pietermari...

KwaDukuza Mayor Siduduzo Gumede together with members of the Rapid Response Oversight Task Team today, 30 June 2026, undertakook Operation Siyahlola in Ward 18, Shakaville and Ward 05, Lindelani. Gumede noted a number of challenges affecting several communities where he has immediately assigned the accounting officer and his team of officials to turn things around. “As the Rapid Response Task Team, we are responding with tangible solutions in tackling real challenges that are faced by our municipality and the people. This includes revenue leakages as a result of poor monitoring of projects, illegal dumping issues where communities themselves are the culprits, project bottlenecks in certain instances and many others. Overall, this is our ongoing offensive to make the necessary interventions where we can in a collective effort towards improving how we service our people, including monitoring progress, identifying blockages, and resolving key challenges. The operation has triggered a ...

  KwaDukuza Mayor Siduduzo Gumede has called for calm and restraint following heightened community concerns linked to anticipated community action against undocumented foreign nationals on Tuesday, 30 June 2026. "KwaDukuza Municipality across all categories of the administration will be treating Tuesday, 30 June 2026 as a normal working day, and residents are urged not to panic over social media speculations regarding possible protests,” said Mayor Gumede. We have been working with law enforcement intelligence and other law agencies to ensure the stability and safety of our communities.  Should any incidents of public disorder arise, we have full confidence that the responsible law enforcement agencies in responding appropriately to criminal elements, guided by our security plan and the rule of law.” The Mayor further confirmed that the Municipality is aware of concerns expressed by residents regarding undocumented foreign nationals and reiterated that all matters relating to ...

KwaDukuza Mayor Siduduzo Gumede today, 22 June 2026, handed over tools of trade to local SMME’s as part of the Mayoral LED Start-up Programme in KwaDukuza Town Hall. Read the prepared address below. Programme Director, allow me to take this opportunity to express my congratulations to all beneficiaries who are being honoured at the  9th edition  of the Mayoral start-up programme where we have  gathered to affirm a principle.  A principle suggesting that development is not a privilege extended from above, but a right cultivated from below. That the dignity of a people is measured not by the wealth concentrated in a few hands, but by the opportunity extended to the many. We dedicate this ceremonial event to acknowledge the significant contribution of small businesses within our economy. The creation of wealth and the stabilisation of our economy stems from the growth and success of entrepreneurs. Ladies and gentlemen, historic injustices have continued to undermine our...