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Durban Budget Shift Sparks Fears for Low-Cost Housing Projects
Durban’s R49.6m budget move puts housing dreams at risk
A heated debate is rippling through Durban after eThekwini’s decision to shift R49.6 million away from the Cornubia Town Centre project and into the recently launched Westown Square. For many, the move raises uncomfortable questions about whether low-cost housing is being sacrificed in favour of commercial development.
A tale of two projects
Cornubia, once hailed as a flagship presidential project meant to tackle informal settlements and provide affordable homes, has already fallen more than a decade behind schedule. Now, with funding pulled away, critics fear it could lose even more ground.
On the other side, Westown Square, a major retail hub that opened in March 2025, has battled years of weather delays and design setbacks. The R49.6 million boost is meant to cover outstanding infrastructure costs that dragged on long past the ribbon-cutting. City officials argue the funding is simply about addressing urgent needs, pointing to congestion and frustrated residents in Durban’s western suburbs.
Political pushback
Cornubia ward councillor Rory Macpherson slammed the move at this week’s eThekwini council meeting. He warned that once money is redirected, it rarely returns. For him, Cornubia is not just another housing scheme. It is a key opportunity to provide stable housing, clear informal settlements, and create a new rate-paying community. Instead, he argues, residents are left with unfinished roads, no public transport network, delayed water supply, and incomplete electricity infrastructure.
Ward 36 councillor Heinz de Boer added his voice, saying poor planning continues to undermine projects across the city. He placed responsibility squarely on city manager Musa Mbhele, who he believes must answer for the consequences of these delays on ordinary residents.
City manager defends the move
Mbhele rejected the accusations. He insisted that the Cornubia developer was contractually responsible for its infrastructure, not the municipality. As for Westown Square, he described the funding shift as “critical thinking” in response to exceptional rainfall and mounting traffic woes. According to him, the reprioritisation was about responding where pressure is most urgent.
The bigger picture
At stake is not only the fate of Cornubia but also trust in the city’s long-term housing strategy. Durban’s housing backlog is already staggering, and projects like Cornubia were once seen as solutions to spiralling informal settlements. With timelines slipping and budgets shifting, the fear is that low-cost housing has quietly slid down the list of municipal priorities.
For Durban residents, the question now is whether promises of affordable housing will ever catch up with reality, or whether the city will continue chasing short-term fixes while long-term needs are left in limbo.
Also read: Shock at Athlone Magistrate’s Court After Man Shot Dead at Entrance
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Source: IOL
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