Parliament, Wednesday, 19 August 2026 – The KwaZulu-Natal delegation of permanent delegates to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) today welcomed the completion and handover of 45 homes at the Kennedy Road Housing Project where construction previously stalled.
During a site visit on the second day of the NCOP’s 2026 Provincial Week oversight programme, the delegation found the revived housing development after years of administrative stagnation and abandonment. The NCOP during an oversight visit in 2024 found the housing project completely stalled. Despite a severe housing backlog in the area, poor coordination between the eThekwini Municipality and the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Human Settlements resulted in the project being abandoned.
The bottlenecks were since overcome and construction resumed. This took periodical parliamentary directives since 2024 and persistent follow-up monitoring and demands for executive accountability. So far, 45 housing units at Dodoma Avenue have been completely finished and officially handed over to verified beneficiaries. At Barton Place, 117 units have been completed and another 81 units are under construction.
During a walkabout, the delegation met with a 92-year-old beneficiary from the Kennedy Road informal settlement who received a home after decades on the waiting list. The leader of the delegation and Provincial Whip, Mr Mzamo Billy, said the operational turnaround is a victory for the community and demonstrates the importance of sustained parliamentary oversight and follow-up.
“The revival of the Kennedy Road Housing Project is a clear example of parliamentary oversight producing tangible, life-changing results. Parliamentary oversight cannot end with the adoption of reports and recommendations. We must return to communities, monitor implementation and hold the relevant executive authorities accountable for the commitments they make. Seeing a 92-year-old resident finally receive a permanent home after decades of waiting underscores why sustained follow-up is non-negotiable,” said Mr Billy.
He cautioned, however, that the relevant authorities must maintain momentum to complete the outstanding work. “While we welcome the progress, the work is not yet complete. The delegation calls on the eThekwini Municipality and the provincial Department of Human Settlements to complete all outstanding construction and electrification work without further delay,” Mr Billy said.
“As this current phase approaches its anticipated completion later this year, we expect all remaining homes to be allocated through a fair, transparent and verifiable process. There must be zero tolerance for political interference, favouritism or queue-jumping.” He said that the delegation will continue to monitor this project until all outstanding commitments have been implemented.
The NCOP delegation will continue its Provincial Week oversight programme tomorrow, Thursday, 20 August 2026, when the focus shifts to northern KwaZulu-Natal. The delegation will hold engagements with the King Cetshwayo District and uMhlathuze Local Municipalities and conduct oversight visits to the Aquadene Housing Project in Richards Bay and the Mega Housing Project in Empangeni.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE KZN LEADER OF THE DELEGATION, MR MZAMO BILLY.
For media enquiries, contact the delegation’s Media Officer:
Name: Mr Temba Gubula
Cell: 081 402 3531
Email: tgubula@parliament.gov.za
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