eThekwini, KwaZulu-Natal — As the eThekwini mayoral race gains momentum ahead of the November local government elections, incumbent mayor and ANC mayoral candidate Cyril Xaba has outlined his administration’s core priorities. With at least four political parties now unveiling their candidates, Xaba emphasized continuity, economic growth, and critical infrastructure upgrades as the foundation of his campaign to secure voter confidence.
Addressing concerns about the ANC’s internal candidate selection process, Xaba assured residents that there is no leadership vacuum. He stated that he has been officially designated to serve as mayor and has already begun the work required to maintain stability. “Those who would have sleepless nights are people who don’t want to see continuity,” Xaba noted, adding that residents are primarily focused on tangible outcomes: lowering unemployment, growing the economy, boosting tourism, and ensuring a clean city with maintained verges and repaired potholes.
A central issue in the upcoming elections is water security. Xaba acknowledged intermittent water supply challenges in specific pockets of the municipality but pushed back against the notion that the crisis is more pronounced in eThekwini than elsewhere. He highlighted the ongoing R1.2 billion, 24-kilometer southern aqueduct project, which is replacing a 70-year-old concrete pipeline to resolve supply interruptions in the southern regions. This follows the successful installation of the northern aqueduct, which has already stabilized water access in Verulam, Phoenix, and Tongaat.
Looking ahead, Xaba announced that a new bulk water scheme is under development to pump 100 megaliters of water per day into the system. By year-end, this will allow the municipality to divert and balance supply across both the northern and southern areas, ensuring full, reliable water access for the city.
When questioned about water losses, Xaba confirmed that the city will receive R379 million to tackle leaks caused by aging infrastructure. However, he clarified that “non-revenue water” is not solely due to ground leakage. He explained that the municipality must supply water and sanitation to 607 informal settlements and extensive rural communities. Without bulk metering in these areas, this essential service delivery does not generate direct revenue, though physical leaks from old pipes are being actively addressed through ongoing pipe replacement programs.
On the economic front, Xaba highlighted several major investments poised to create thousands of jobs. The Cornubia Business Park, a R2.1 billion investment, is on track for completion by mid-December and is expected to create over 2,000 permanent jobs, with 300 positions already filled during the construction phase. This project is part of a broader wave of development, including a R10.5 billion dry port in the outer west, a R10.4 billion investment by Toyota in the south of Durban, and R32.4 billion worth of new investments in the north. Xaba credited these developments with helping eThekwini record a significant decline in local unemployment rates.
The mayor also pointed to improved public safety, citing official statistics from July that showed a 28% reduction in crime levels in the area.
Addressing infrastructure frustrations, Xaba acknowledged the prolonged construction on the highway between Durban and Pietermaritzburg. While deferring the exact completion date to the national roads agency, he defended the phased approach to the repairs. He likened the project to “fixing an aircraft whilst flying it,” explaining that keeping the route partially open was a necessary decision to prevent severe disruptions to the provincial and city economies.
Despite political headwinds, Xaba received praise during the discussion for the visible improvements to the Durban beachfront. Concluding the conversation, he reiterated that his track record in service delivery and infrastructure management remains the primary reason he should be retained as mayor of eThekwini.