A large part of eThekwini is facing water restrictions to help replenish reservoir levels supplied by Durban Heights Water Treatment Works.

The municipality said on Saturday restrictions are affecting supply systems from the water treatment works to the northern and southern aqueducts, as well as the Pinetown system.

These pipelines supply water to the northern and southern areas, as well as parts of Pinetown.

It said in a statement that rebuilding reservoir storage capacity is critical to maintaining the required hydraulic grade and ensuring that water reaches areas at the end of the distribution network.

High water demand has depleted reservoir levels, particularly affecting parts of Pinetown South, Nagina, Folweni, Demat, KwaSanti, Inteke, Luganda, and Washington Heights.

“The municipality acknowledges the impact of these interruptions on affected communities and is implementing these measures to support reservoir recovery and improve the reliability of water supply, particularly in areas experiencing

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Durban’s R980 million beachfront amusement park has secured funding for its development phase, with the eThekwini Municipality expecting the project to create over 1000 jobs during construction and operations.

The project is planned for the former Durban Funworld site, about two kilometres from uShaka Marine World.

“With funding approved, the development has completed its design stage, and technical planning work is under way. Statutory development work will follow and is expected to run to the end of the first quarter of 2027, with construction to follow,” the municipality said on Wednesday.

No construction start date has been announced.

The park is expected to introduce a permanent, ride-led family entertainment attraction to Durban’s beachfront, which has been without such a facility since Funworld closed.

“This approval is a critical step towards construction as it confirms institutional confidence,” the municipality said.

“The development finance institution has completed its assessment of the project and approved the funding. It also funds the statutory work and supports the detailed planning and technical aspects.”

The project has received national recognition after being selected by the National Department of Tourism through its 2026 call for projects as one of the key tourism infrastructure developments supported by the department.

The municipality submitted the amusement park as an investment-ready project, reflecting alignment with national tourism priorities.

It was also showcased at the South African Tourism Investment Summit.

“The development is expected to create about 1,400 jobs across construction and operations, with local small businesses built into the park’s supply chain,” the municipality said.

It said the Golden Mile already records more than 17 million promenade visits annually.

“The park is designed to give those visitors more reasons to stay longer, return more often and spend more in surrounding hotels, restaurants and other tourism businesses,” it said.

The park is set to feature multiple “world-class” rides, an extended reality and digital entertainment zone, curated retail offering, and an upgraded amphitheatre focused on events.

The development will operate under a long-term development lease with the municipality and form part of the central beach precinct.

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eThekwini Municipality is looking to attract investment in electric vehicle manufacturing, expand local automotive supply chains and create green jobs as Durban prepares to host two major automotive and investment events this week.

The municipality said on Monday that the arrival of the Escaping the Noise 3.0 New Energy Vehicle (NEV) Road Trip on Sunday marked an opportunity to promote Durban as a centre for sustainable vehicle manufacturing and related industries.

The road trip, which travelled from Gauteng to Durban, brought together participants from Gqeberha, KuGompo and Cape Town to promote the adoption of new energy vehicles in South Africa.

The initiative comes ahead of SA Auto Week 2026 and the KwaZulu-Natal Investment Conference, which will take place at the Durban International Convention Centre (ICC) from 13 to 16 October.

The municipality said it hopes to use the events to attract investment in automotive manufacturing, encourage the localisation of supply chains and position the city to benefit from the transition to cleaner transport technologies.

Takalani Rathiyaya, Deputy Head of the City’s Economic Development Directorate, said strengthening local manufacturing capabilities would be critical to the municipality’s ambitions.

“Developing local suppliers and manufacturers within our automotive value chain will contribute significantly to expanding the City’s manufacturing sector. Highlighting these new energy initiatives creates an important platform to review and elevate our automotive performance, reinforcing our commitment to building a stable, competitive, and sustainable future.”

The municipality said the transition to new energy vehicles was aligned with its strategy to develop a climate-resilient, low-carbon economy while protecting the long-term competitiveness of local industries.

It said the two upcoming events would provide an opportunity to showcase Durban’s existing automotive manufacturing capabilities to potential investors and international industry representatives.

The city also hopes to secure high-value investments that could support the development of sustainable supply chains and create employment opportunities in emerging green industries.

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Industrial and warehousing developments helped lift the value of building plans approved by eThekwini Municipality to R3.97 billion in the first half of 2026, the city said.

The total represented an 18% increase from the same period in 2025 and a 24% rise compared with the first six months of 2024.

Growth was driven by non-residential developments, with the value of approved plans rising 166% from R536 million to R1.43 billion.

Approvals for industrial and warehousing developments increased by 167% in value, while their approved floor space grew from 24,497 square metres to 83,708 square metres.

The value of approvals for office and banking developments rose by 158%, while approvals in the municipality’s northern region nearly doubled to R1.16 billion.

The municipality said the figures coincided with improvements in two economic indicators.

Statistics South Africa’s Quarterly Labour Force Survey recorded eThekwini’s unemployment rate at 21.2% in the second

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Business confidence in Durban fell below neutral for the first time in two years in the second quarter, as a deepening construction slump, higher operating costs and weaker sentiment across several major industries darkened the outlook for the city’s economy.

The Durban Business Confidence Index fell to 48.82 in the three months through June from 50.63 in the first quarter, a decline of 3.57%, according to a report released last week. The index was 6.83% lower than in the same period last year. A reading below 50 indicates businesses lack confidence in the local economy.

“For the first time since 2024Q2, the index has fallen below the neutral zone, indicating a lack of confidence in Durban’s economic prospects,” the report said.

The construction industry recorded the sharpest deterioration, with confidence falling almost 20% from the previous quarter and 41% from a year earlier.

The decline suggested “worsening

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Four vehicles were destroyed when a grass fire spread into a truck and bus repair yard near the N2 in Bonela on Saturday, but firefighters prevented the blaze from reaching nearby homes and additional vehicles.

eThekwini Municipality said Fire and Rescue Services personnel were dispatched at about 09:55 following reports of a grass fire near 19 Westmeath Avenue.

“The swift response came after emergency calls were received from concerned motorists travelling along the N2 who reported thick smoke and flames spreading rapidly along a cliff adjacent to the freeway,” the municipality said.

“Upon arrival, firefighters found that the fire had spread beyond the cliff edge and into premises used for the parking and repair of trucks and buses.”

Several vehicles at the property were already on fire when emergency teams arrived.

Firefighters deployed five water streams and launched an aggressive attack on the blaze, prioritising nearby

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eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba has asked Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber to urgently intervene after hundreds of foreign nationals who were processed by immigration officials remained camped outside the Department of Home Affairs offices in Durban.

Xaba said the group should be moved to suitable temporary accommodation, warning that the situation had become a humanitarian concern, particularly for women and children sleeping on the streets.

The group had gathered outside Durban’s Diakonia Centre last week, saying they feared for their safety in several KZN communities because of rising anti-immigration tensions.

On Thursday, an integrated team including eThekwini Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal police, the Department of Home Affairs and other government departments intervened to verify the legal status of those gathered at the centre.

The group was transported by bus to the Department of Home Affairs’ Durban Refugee Reception Centre on Che Guevara Road, where 457 foreign nationals were processed.

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The eThekwini Municipality has issued an urgent warning to residents following a Level 4 severe weather alert expected to affect the metro from Tuesday into Wednesday evening.

According to the municipality, the warning by the South African Weather Service (SAWS) forecasts severe thunderstorms that are expected to affect parts of KwaZulu-Natal, with eThekwini among the areas covered by the Level 4 alert.

“The forecast indicates heavy downpours, strong damaging winds, excessive lightning and hail, all of which pose a serious risk to life, property and infrastructure,” the municipality said in a statement.

Residents living in flood-prone areas, particularly informal settlements, have been identified as the most vulnerable.

The municipality urged these communities to take extra precautions to safeguard their lives and belongings.

“Residents are encouraged to remain indoors where possible and avoid unnecessary travel. Motorists should reduce speed and maintain safe following distances on wet roads,” the

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eThekwini Municipality is calling on nature lovers, wildlife enthusiasts and citizen scientists to take part in the City Nature Challenge 2026, a global biodiversity event running from 24 to 27 April.

The annual challenge sees cities compete to document local biodiversity, with residents encouraged to help showcase the plants, animals, fungi and other wildlife found across eThekwini.

Residents can take part by joining one or more organised observation sessions at conservation sites across the municipality.

The programme begins on 24 April at KwaNyuswa, led by Bheka Memela and Nolwandle Zulu, who can be contacted on 060 308 5874 and 078 390 1692.

Upper Glenholme will also host a session on the same day, led by Greg Mullins on 073 174 8338.

Other 24 April sites include Roosefontein from 8am, led by Bheka Nxele on 062 642 3250 or 082 780 9499;

Forest Hills from 11am, led by Nokuphila

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Retired KwaZulu-Natal Judge President Achmat Naeem Jappie died this week, Chief Justice Mandisa Maya said, describing him as a distinguished jurist who served South Africa with honour and integrity.

Jappie was born in Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape and moved to Durban shortly afterwards, where he lived until his death.

Maya said he was appointed to the Bench in 1998 and went on to serve for more than two decades.

During his judicial career, Jappie served as Deputy Judge President before later being appointed Judge President of the KwaZulu-Natal Division of the High Court. He also served as an acting judge of the Constitutional Court and had a short stint at the Labour Appeal Court, the Judiciary said.

The Judiciary said Jappie was widely admired for his calm temperament, fairness, humility and commitment to justice, and was respected by colleagues, legal practitioners and court users for

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