Opinion | Msunduzi is worth fighting for

I was born in Pietermaritzburg. I was raised in Pietermaritzburg. I went to school in Pietermaritzburg.

I built my life in Pietermaritzburg. And today, I am deeply concerned about the future of our city. We are not simply facing minor challenges or political disagreements.

We are facing a crisis of governance. Msunduzi, the capital city of KwaZulu-Natal, is not just struggling. It feels like it is on its knees.

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Service delivery failures have become normal. Infrastructure decay is visible everywhere. Communities feel abandoned.

Businesses feel vulnerable. Residents feel unheard. When systems collapse, something dangerous fills the vacuum.

We are beginning to see lawlessness creep into the space where leadership should exist — unlawful shutdowns, intimidation politics and opportunism disguised as activism. When poverty deepens and desperation grows, people become easy targets for exploitation. That is not leadership.

That is political thuggery feeding off crisis. Our people are not asking for miracles. They are asking for dignity.

For water that runs. For electricity that stays on. For roads that are maintained.

For safety in their communities. For a fair chance to earn a living wage. Service delivery is not political theatre, it is the foundation of everyday life.

For years, councillors from the Democratic Alliance have remained on the ground in their communities, even under intense criticism and hostility. That cannot continue. A functioning city requires the following. • Co-operation between the public and private sectors.

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