R61 million spent, yet challenges persist in Burlington Heights housing project

The removal of a church, storm-related damages, and insufficient funding for a road are some of the reasons holding up Phase 3 of the Burlington Heights Greenfield Housing Project in Durban.

The eThekwini Municipality spent R61 million on engineering infrastructure, including earthworks for roads and platforms, asphalt surface roads, retaining walls, pedestrian access with stormwater drainage, sewer reticulation, and the connection of these networks. The initial contract was R47 million.

A company was awarded a 24-month contract in October 2021 by the municipality to construct 109 houses. These homes are intended for families who have been residing in a temporary housing facility since 2018.

The contract period for performance was amended by the municipality in October 2025, extending it by 12 months and increasing the financial authority by R14 million. The new expected completion date for the project is January 2027.

According to the municipality, construction work was delayed due to the illegal occupation of a portion of the land in 2018 by the Efesi Nazareth Baptist Church.

The municipality took legal action, and the subsequent court proceedings and the relocation process caused the delay.

The municipality stated that a court order was granted in December 2023 for the church structure to be demolished.

A meeting was held with the municipality, stakeholders, and the church in March 2024, and an agreement was reached for construction activities to continue for Phase 3, with the completion date set for 2024, if there was full access to the church area at the beginning of November 2023.

The contractor was directed to work on portions of the site that were not impacted by the church site and the related connector services.

The contractor told the municipality that this hampered his progress and efficient use of his equipment. The contractor claimed a resultant six-month extension due to limited access to the full work site. The total costs of the delay in the relocation of the church cost the municipality R3.7 million.

Another reason for the delay was storm-related damage with regard to soil erosion and silt accumulation during 2022 and 2023. The additional works, such as a gabion retaining structure and sand berms, were required at the lower region near the railway line to mitigate further damage. The cost arising from this was R2.1 million.

Lastly, the total costs due to the delay in proceeding with the road layer-works are R1.6 million.

Zamani Khuzwayo, a DA councillor, and residents walked around the site on Wednesday, and said that he was calling for the eThekwini Human Settlements, Engineering, and Transport Committee to conduct an oversight visit.

Khuzwayo said he did not believe the excuses being made for the delay in the project, adding that the church occupied a very small portion of the site, and most of the houses could have been built.

“We want to know where the money went because the place is in a deplorable state,” he said.

Thabile Mbhele,47, said she was living with her mother, extended family, and her three children in a temporary shelter.

Mbhele wanted a house and a stable environment for her children.

“I have been here at Burlington railway station since 1989. I submitted my name for a house many times to officials, but those who arrived in 2005 were told they would be allocated one of the houses. The process is flawed and the delay for housing is unacceptable,” she said.