The Executive Committee (EXCO) held a meeting yesterday, 26 May 2026. Several resolutions were adopted to accelerate implementation and respond to current service delivery matters in the Municipality. These reports will proceed to Full Council for further deliberation and approval.
CITY REPRIORITISES REFURBUSHMENT OF GO! DURBAN BUS DEPOTS
The City has taken a significant step toward advancing the operational readiness of the GO! Durban Integrated Public Transport Network (IPTN) through the reprioritisation of funding for the refurbishment of key bus depots across the city.
EXCO has recommended that authority be granted to the Executive Director: Technical Services to reprioritise R39 million from the eThekwini Transport Authority’s 2025/26 Capital Budget to support refurbishment works at the Ntuzuma, Alice Street, and Umlazi depots.
The facilities will play a critical role in supporting future GO! Durban operations.
The decision follows a directive from the National Department of Transport indicating that grant funding for Integrated Public Transport Network programmes will be progressively reduced over the next three years. Municipalities implementing IPTN programmes have accordingly been required to review their implementation plans and align projects with the revised national funding framework.
In response, the eThekwini Transport Authority undertook a review of the GO! Durban implementation programme to ensure that the City protects the substantial investment already made in transport infrastructure while maintaining a financially sustainable rollout approach.
The revised strategy prioritises the use of existing infrastructure and focuses on preparing the system for operationalisation in the 2026/2027 financial year.
Refurbishment of existing depots has therefore been identified as a key intervention required to support the GO! Durban go-live programme.
The Municipality’s revised implementation approach focuses on activating services along corridors where significant infrastructure investment has already been made, including the Bridge City to Pinetown corridor, the Bridge City to CBD corridor, and the Inner-City Distribution System.
According to the report, the refurbishment programme will ensure that the Ntuzuma, Alice Street, and Umlazi depots are adequately prepared to accommodate future GO! Durban operations and improve operational readiness ahead of service rollout.
MAHATMA GHANDI WASTEWATER PUMP STATION UPDATE
The City’s Water and Sanitation Directorate is implementing urgent and long-term interventions to restore full functionality and improve operational reliability at the Mahatma Gandhi wastewater Pump Station following recent equipment failures that contributed to wastewater overflow incidents.
The interventions were presented to the Executive Committee (EXCO), where Acting Director of Water and Sanitation, Sibusiso Vilane outlined medium and long-term interventions to restore permanent functionality of the pump station.
The pump station, commissioned during the 2015/16 financial year, has experienced ongoing operational challenges linked to design shortcomings identified after project handover.
An independent investigation commissioned by the Directorate in 2019 confirmed several critical infrastructure and design deficiencies that have negatively affected the station’s performance, reliability, and operational safety.
To address this, in the longer term, a comprehensive infrastructure upgrade projects will be undertaken to address historical design and operational challenges identified through technical investigations and engineering assessments.
In recent weeks, the pump station experienced a technical failure that resulted in sewer overflows along Margaret Mncadi Avenue.
The Municipality has since implemented urgent repair measures to stabilise operations while also preparing long-term infrastructure upgrades aimed at addressing the historical design and operational challenges identified through technical investigations and engineering assessments.
Urgent repair and recovery work at the pump station is progressing well, with commissioning anticipated on 7 June 2026.
CONSTRUCTION OF SAKHITHEMBA HOMELESS SHELTER PROGRESSING WELL
Construction of the Sakhithemba Homeless Shelter is progressing well, with the Municipality remaining on course to complete the facility by October 2026.
The shelter forms a key component of the Municipality’s citywide response to homelessness and is aimed at providing dignified, safe, and structured accommodation for individuals living on the streets of Durban.
Approved in August 2024, the project was initially designed as a 400-bed facility. However, in response to the growing demand for expanded shelter services and strengthened social intervention measures, the project scope was broadened to increase capacity to 800 beds.
Once completed, the facility will significantly strengthen the City’s homelessness intervention programme by improving access to temporary shelter, social support services, and reintegration opportunities for vulnerable residents.
Since the previous update presented to EXCO in March 2026, notable progress has been achieved across all phases of the project despite operational and regulatory challenges encountered during implementation.
Water Rationing Update