The Pietermaritzburg CBD. Ratepayers have questioned the City being awarded accolades at the recent municipal excellence awards despite the widespread service delivery challenges.
Image: DOCTOR NGCOBO / Independent Newspapers
Questions have been raised about the criteria used to determine winners in the KwaZulu-Natal 2026 Municipal Excellence Awards after the Msunduzi Municipality scooped awards in key categories.
Ratepayers said the awards were surprising given the poor state of service delivery in Pietermaritzburg.
In a statement the municipality said it achieved third place in the category for Best Traditional Council in coordinating service delivery. Also, third place for Best Developed Integrated Development Plan (IDP) for the 2025/26 financial year, acknowledging the municipality’s efforts in developing a strategic and inclusive planning framework that guides sustainable development and service delivery within the city.
In the category for Municipal Entities, Safe City received a Clean Audit Award presented by the KZN Office of the Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA). The award recognises the entity’s sound financial management practices, compliance, and commitment to good governance.
The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) hosted the awards last Thursday in Durban.
Msunduzi mayor Mzimkhulu Thebolla, said the awards reflect the collective commitment of the teams who continue to work tirelessly to serve the communities.
“These achievements motivate us to keep building a municipality that our residents can trust and be proud of. The awards serve as an important reminder of the progress being made within the municipality and the continued efforts to enhance governance, planning, and service delivery for the residents of Msunduzi,” he said.
Jimmy Naidoo, the chairperson of the Northern Areas Residents and Ratepayers Association (NARRA), had a different view of the awards.
He reported that residents have raised concerns about irregular waste collection, deteriorating infrastructure, overgrown public spaces, and a noticeable daily increase in illegal structures.
“While the municipality celebrates these accolades, many residents say the reality on the ground tells a very different story. Across several areas of the city, particularly in the northern suburbs, service delivery failures remain a daily challenge.”
He said residents argue that priority should instead be placed on restoring basic service delivery and improving the cleanliness and safety of the city.
Other residents were scathing in their views of the City on social media.
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