KwaZulu-Natal – 6 May 2025 | KwaZulu-Natal Premier in his capacity as Chairperson of the Council Against Crime (CAC),.. KwaZulu-Natal Premier Honourable Thamsanqa Ntuli joined thousands of mourners to bid farewell to Ms Dumisile Manana-Mthalane co-founder of the legendary maskandi group Imithente at an emotional funeral ceremony that celebrated her life an.. 27 April 2025 - The KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government under the leadership of Premier Honourable Thamsanqa Ntuli As South Africa prepares to mark 31 years of freedom KwaZulu-Natal Premier Honourable Thamsanqa Ntuli led a poignant tribute to one of the nation’s greatest i.. today tabled the Office of the Premier's 2025/26 Budget Vote in the Provincial Legislature under the theme “.. tabled a set of Parliamentary resolutions during a landmark Interfaith Symposium held in Glencoe under the Umzinya.. AVBOB celebrates a milestone by rewarding its members on a large scale PIETERMARITZBURG - Two days before the official opening of the KwaZulu-Natal COGTA Offices in Ulundi Premier Thami Ntuli has put brakes on the whole thing.  Thulasizwe Buthelezi announced the move and said it was to ensure government services are moved closer to rural communities READ: ActionSA campaigns to move KZN legislature back to Ulundi At a stage both Ulundi and Pietermaritzburg were joint provincial capitals but when the ANC took over in 2004 the functions of the capital were moved to Pietermaritzburg Home | Politics The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) will begin its 50th anniversary celebrations today with a visit to the grave of its founder More than 30 000 supporters are expected to attend the rally which will take place at a stadium in Ulundi initially as the Inkatha National Cultural Liberation Movement IFP National Spokesperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa said the event will serve as a moment of reflection on the party’s history and future plans ahead of the 2026 local government elections “It’s a very critical moment of national reflection for the IFP our contribution in the liberation movement fighting against oppression and apartheid and the injustice that South Africans had to endure—that is ultimately what we have been doing It’s a reflection of the journey of the 50 years of existence,” Hlengwa says “We will also pay tribute to Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi before we commence where we will pay our respects at his resting place We are giving our appreciation and reflection on the life of Prince Buthelezi,” he added the IFP secured 18.07% of the vote in KwaZulu-Natal and later entered into a coalition with the ANC This resulted in IFP national chairperson Thami Ntuli leading the government of provincial unity in KwaZulu-Natal when he was succeeded by Velenkosini Hlabisa Meanwhile Hlengwa has confirmed that this morning’s bus crash on the R34 at Lakeside outside Vryheid in northern KwaZulu-Natal Contrary to earlier reports from the Road Traffic Inspectorate in the province Hlengwa would not confirm any deaths at this stage Emergency services are believed to be at the scene in partnership with the Oral History Association of South Africa (OHASA) and the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Provincial Archives invites members of the media to the 2024 Annual National Oral History Conference that will take place at the Emakhosini Conference Centre in Ulundi The programme seeks to yield information that will be added to the information already existing in the country’s Archival holdings Arts and Culture’s National Archives of South Africa is organising the conference through Oral History Association of South Africa (OHASA) in collaboration with KZN Provincial Archives under the theme "Forgotten stories and marginalised experiences: Thirty years later." This year’s conference aims to bring together historians and members of the public to explore and share untold stories and marginalized experiences particularly those that have been overlooked in the past 30 years the conference will address various sub-themes including Oral History in the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the oral traditions surrounding witchcraft The event will also feature a Learner Programme where Grade 10-11 History learners will present their findings on oral history collection and methodologies These learners have been carefully selected and trained through a collaboration between the KZN Provincial Archives and the Department of Basic Education Members of the media are invited as follows: Venue: Emakhosini Conference Centre in Ulundi RSVPs: Solomon Maseko, 066 302 5397 │Email: SolomonM@dsac.gov.za Ms Zimasa Velaphi, Head of Communications | Cell 072 172 8925 | Email: zimasav@dsac.gov.za Issued by the National Department of Sport the chairperson in KwaZulu-Natal for the IFP at the IFP’s 50th anniversary celebration at the Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi Stadium in Ulundi ULUNDI - The Democratic Alliance (DA) in KwaZulu-Natal said it was looking forward to strengthening ties with the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) DA leaders in the province who form part of the government of unity joined the IFP for its 50th anniversary rally in Ulundi - KZN IFPYB eager for more young people to rally behind founder Buthelezi's vision - 50 years after its founding, IFP wants to be celebrated as one of SA’s liberation movements - 22 IFP supporters injured in Vryheid bus accident Thousands gathered at the Prince Mangosuthu Stadium for the celebration. The Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi Stadium in Ulundi was packed to capacity with IFP supporters as the party marked its 50th-anniversary celebration. The DA in KwaZulu-Natal joined the festivities. Chairperson Dean Macpherson said they were there to pay tribute to the IFP's late founder, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi. "The DA is glad to be here in Ulundi to celebrate the IFP's 50th anniversary and to pay tribute to its founding leader, the late Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi. The DA and IFP have a long history of working together, and so it’s only fitting that we are here to celebrate with them and to wish them well for the next 50 years. We, of course, work well in the Government of Provincial Unity and Government of National Unity." Both parties are already working together in a number of municipalities in the province, including the north coast economic hub, uMhlathuze Local Municipality. Sections 3 January 2025 – The Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) MEC has announced the distribution of R34.1 million to all Traditional Councils in the province collected from traditional levies and held in trust by the department will be returned to the respective traditional authorities This distribution of funds is part of ongoing efforts by the MEC to decentralise and strengthen the autonomy of traditional authorities and Amakhosi as bona fide leaders of their respective communities MEC Buthelezi stated the department’s commitment to strengthening and enhancing the institution of traditional leadership both legally and economically “This initiative empowers traditional leaders and their communities ensuring that the funds are used to address community needs identified by Amakhosi.” The announcement was welcomed by all Amakhosi indicating a positive development in the department’s approach to supporting Amakhosi Chairperson of the KZN Provincial House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders noting the positive impact this move will have MEC Buthelezi reiterated his dedication to the institution of traditional leadership in the province pledging to collaborate with all Amakhosi to advance rural development “We are committed to working with Amakhosi to ensure that rural development takes place and is led by them,” he added Issued by:The KZN Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Media Releases Terms and Conditions PAIA Manual About Us News Room Careers Tenders Municipalities DURBAN - Late Member of Parliament Sibuyiselwe Buthelezi will be laid to rest in Ulundi in northern KwaZulu-Natal on Saturday.  Many are expected to gather at the Phandangene Royal Residence to bid farewell to the youngest child of the late IFP founder, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi. Buthelezi died in hospital in Cape Town.   KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli will deliver an address at the funeral.  Members of the Zulu royal family, government officials and community members will join the Buthelezi family in paying their last respects to Princess Sibuyiselwe.   The Buthelezi family said that even though they were aware of her frail health, her death was sudden. The provincial government has described her passing as concerning as it comes after the recent passing of some former government ministers. The passing of the princess also comes two months after the anniversary of her father's passing. ULUNDI - A bus carrying Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) supporters has been involved in an accident on the R34 in Vryheid The bus was travelling from Gauteng to Ulundi ferrying supporters as the IFP commemorates its 50th anniversary Authorities said the driver of the bus had been identified as the cause of the accident Mkhuleko Hlengwa: "The driver failed to navigate a stop sign at a T-junction in Vryheid on the R34 Four comrades have been rushed to hospital to receive medical The other comrades are receiving medical care on-site at the accident scene." Hlengwa added that party officials had also rushed to the scene "The leadership of Gauteng has gone to see our comrades and the leadership of AbaQulusi constituency are on site to offer the necessary support." The Bus was travelling was from Gauteng when the accident occurred on the R 34. The party has also confirmed the accident and says a driver error led to the accident after the driver failed to navigate a stop sign at a T-junction. @_NMabaso A bus carrying supporters of the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) overturned on the R34 at Lakeside while travelling to the party’s 50th anniversary rally in Ulundi IFP spokesperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa confirmed there were “no fatalities,” with four people taken to hospital the celebratory rally at the Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi Stadium in northern KwaZulu-Natal will go ahead as planned expecting over 30,000 supporters to mark this historic milestone The accident took place early on the morning of the rally as buses loaded with IFP supporters from across South Africa journeyed to Ulundi a key route connecting rural areas to the northern KwaZulu-Natal town IFP spokesperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa told reporters that while four supporters were hospitalised there were “no fatalities,” easing fears of a tragedy The party is supporting those affected and staying in touch with their families While exact details about the cause remain unclear road safety has been a growing concern on the R34 KwaZulu-Natal’s Department of Transport has previously flagged speeding and poor vehicle maintenance as common issues in the region though no official statement has linked these factors to this specific crash yet The rally at the Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi Stadium is a landmark event for the IFP celebrating 50 years since its founding on 21 March 1975 by the late Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi and integrity,” the gathering is both a reflection on the party’s past and a look ahead to its future Current IFP president Velenkosini Hlabisa will deliver a keynote address expected to outline the party’s achievements and its vision especially with local government elections looming in 2025 Over 30,000 supporters are set to fill the stadium the historic heart of IFP support in northern KwaZulu-Natal The party has played a major role in South African politics notably as part of the Government of Provincial Unity (GPU) in KwaZulu-Natal and the national Government of National Unity (GNU) As the fifth-largest party in the National Assembly the IFP sees this rally as a chance to rally its base and boost momentum The build-up to the rally has been electric Buses carrying supporters began arriving in Ulundi from early morning with many travelling overnight from provinces like Gauteng and Mpumalanga over 20 buses had already parked outside the stadium and caps—alongside food stalls offering local favourites One supporter from Johannesburg shared his excitement with SABC: “It’s a great day for the IFP and I’m proud to be here to honour our party’s history.” The South African Police Service (SAPS) maintained a strong presence to ensure safety a standard measure for such large political gatherings The IFP’s 50-year journey is a story of endurance and grew into a political powerhouse in KwaZulu-Natal it has had only two leaders in its history: Buthelezi who took over after Buthelezi’s passing in 2023 This stability has been a point of pride for the IFP which has weathered decades of political turbulence including rivalry with the ANC during apartheid and the transition to democracy It gained seats in the 2021 local government elections and has strengthened its position through by-election wins in KwaZulu-Natal called the IFP “a party on the rise,” noting its strategic role in coalition governments as a sign of renewed relevance and website in this browser for the next time I comment The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) is marking its 50th anniversary this weekend Founded by the late Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi on 21 March 1975 it was initially called the Inkatha National Cultural Liberation Movement Following the first democratic elections in 1994 the IFP became part of the Government of National Unity under former President Nelson Mandela The party says it’s expecting 30 000 supporters to attend the celebrations at the Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi Stadium in Ulundi The IFP originally drew its name from Inkatha kaZulu the Zulu National Congress founded by Buthelezi’s uncle- King Solomon kaDinuzulu – in 1928 IFP spokesperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa says the party plans to honour those who played a critical role in its formation and survival “We will be laying a wreath at the tombstone of the late Archbishop Alpheus Zulu who presided over the meeting at KwaNzimela on the 21st of March 1975 we will also lay a wreath at the grave site of Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi who led this party diligently “He gave it the strength of character to meet the challenges of the apartheid regime And to ensure that we found the IFP ready to participate in the democratic and free dispensation in 1994,” adds Hlengwa The party is currently the 5th largest in the National Assembly and leads the government of provincial unity in KwaZulu-Natal the party’s former secretary general Velenkosini Hlabisa took over the reins from Prince Buthelezi The IFP currently has two ministers and two deputies in the 7th administration Hlengwa elaborates on the events to kickstart the party’s events this weekend “We are having the national prayer day … thanksgiving for the long journey that the IFP has traversed over the past 50 years That service will be at KwaNzimela just outside Melmoth in northern KwaZulu-Natal.” “We will proceed on Sunday the 23rd of March to Ulundi at the Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi Regional stadium where we will be having a rally to celebrate this milestone We are expecting some over 30.000 people to join us.” Kaizer Chiefs legends made it three wins from three outings following a hard-fought 1-0 win over KZN Legends at the Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi Legacy Cup in Ulundi on Saturday afternoon After recent triumphs over Orlando Pirates legends and Bloemfontein Celtic Legends head coach Thabo Mooki rang some changes as bulky striker Nkosinathi Nhleko lead the attacking front alongside Siyabonga Nomvethe The first period proved challenging for both sides who could not be separated as the blazing sun played a role in affecting the spark of the match It was however late substitute Thuso Phala who came in the second stanza to net the winner as the Glamour Boys legends kept their winning record intact iDiski Media was founded in December 2019 and comprises of a range of football media products Contact us: [email protected] Home | South Africa The South African Weather Service says heavy rainfall has been recorded over parts of KwaZulu-Natal. The highest rainfall figure was recorded at Vryheid in the north of the province, with over 70 millimetre by 8am on Monday morning, and 55 millimetre at Cedara. Between 40 and 50 millimetre was recorded at Mooi River, Mkahathini, Pongola and Ixopo. Forecaster Thandiwe Gumede says more widespread showers and thundershowers are expected on Monday and on Tuesday. “In terms of the rainfall figures that have been recorded from yesterday up until this morning, [I] will just highlight some of the highest values that we have received. Over Vryheid, we have recorded 71,8mm [and] Makhathini which is in the extreme northern part of KwaZulu-Natal has recorded 49mm, Ulundi recorded 42,8mm.” Meanwhile, provincial disaster management teams have been placed on high alert. The weather service is warning of heavy rainfall that could cause low-water bridges to overflow, localized flooding and significant disruption to major travel routes as holidaymakers return home. Provincial Cooperative Governance spokesperson Senzo Mzila says areas that are along the coast of the province such as the Harry Gwala district are mostly going to be affected. “From the warning that we received, the areas that are along the coast of the province from the Harry Gwala District, iLembe, eThekwini, King Cetshwayo, Mkhanyakude and parts of the Zululand District. All of these areas are the ones that have got a level 8 weather warning.” “Other parts of the province have got a level four warning. So large parts of the province, specifically areas that are low lying , those are the ones that we expect to be affected. Those areas are being monitored by our disaster management team,” explains Mzila. ULUNDI - A total of 22 Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) supporters have been injured in a bus accident in Vryheid The Department of Transport in the province said road traffic inspectorate officers were now investigating the actual cause of the accident ALSO READ: Bus carrying IFP supporters to party event involved in accident in Vryheid Preliminary reports suggest the bus driver transporting the party supporters from Gauteng to Ulundi for the IFP's 50th-anniversary event failed to navigate a stop sign. KwaZulu-Natal Transport MEC Siboniso Duma said he was awaiting a full report on this. "They are checking what might have disturbed. It might be different causes. We wouldn't want to pre-empt. We are just going to wait for a proper report at the end of the day. What we are delighted about is that there are no fatalities." a rural town located on the northern part of KwaZulu-Natal has been put under scrutiny after several school pupils were reported to have fallen ill after consuming contaminated snacks bought at a local spaza shop About seven pupils had to be rushed to KwaCeza hospital to be treated for various ailments The pupils are said to have complained of drowsiness This resulted in local municipality Ulundi putting a temporary ban on trading licenses for supermarkets “We hereby inform you [of] the inspection that was conducted at your business premises following cases The reported cases relate to seven school children aged between 3-8 years from Ezitendeni and Ezimfabeni areas They… were admitted at KwaCeza Hospital after eating Ayoba biscuits,” read sent to the owners of the affected shops on Tuesday The letter was issued by the Ulundi municipal manager Sandile Khomo He stated that during the compliance inspection in the shops the same Ayoba biscuits had been on the shelves The biscuits were sold by the hawkers outside school premises These were taken for further investigation Mayor Wilson Ntshangase explained that the municipality had a duty to protect its citizens and young children from harm and possible death “We will not be silent and fold our hands when the vulnerable children are falling victims This is because of food sold by foreign-owned shops We are working with police and health officials to get to the bottom of this And we will also ensure that those responsible are held liable,” Ntshangase explained The province has seen a rise in food poisoning cases And the biggest number was at Ngaqa primary Fear and panic set in after 43 pupils were hospitalised following the consumption of potentially contaminated snacks It was believed that the pupils had bought the snacks from the vendors operating near the school The vendors are usually called omama abadayisayo (ladies who sell) pupils from Bongucele Secondary school in Mthwalume on the south coast also suffered the same fate This after consuming snacks they had bought from a local vendor The severity of the scourge has also caught the ire of the parliamentary portfolio on basic education It called on parents to exercise vigilance to prevent their children falling ill or dying “This seems to have become a worrying trend Some of the vendors that our kids are buying from seem to be uncaring of the health of our leaners And we should not play with the health and lives of our future leaders,” said portfolio chairperson Bongiwe Mbinqo-Gigaba The General Industries Workers Union of South Africa (Giwusa) also added its voice It said the government must protect the impoverished They have no choice but to eat whatever food is available starvation and unemployment exacerbated by the cost of living crisis have forced people to cut corners And they eat anything that’s available and looks like food,” said they union’s president Mametlwe Sebei Giwusa is affiliated to the South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) Saftu is a workers federation formed by Zwelinzima Vavi He is the former general secretary of the Congress of South African Union (Cosatu) Visit SW YouTube Channel for our video content Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Tel: +27 11 268 6300 Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms & conditions and privacy policy 3 June 2024 – Pietermaritzburg hosted the first edition of the Hollywoodbets Men’s Regional playoffs from 31 May 2023 – 2 June 2024 where Junior Eleven from Uthukela region were ultimately crowned champions after beating Ulundi United 1-0 in the final Both teams gained promotion to the 2024/25 season of the ABC Motsepe and will be eager to put their regions on the map The two teams were tough contenders and outclassed all the other sides that participated in the playoffs as members of these two clubs walked away with all the individual prizes The Goalkeeper of the Tournament award went to Mashington Mposula of Junior Eleven for his efforts in the semifinal penalty shootout Ntobeko Mabaso of the same team walked away with the top goal scorer of the tournament award while Sandile Dlamini won the coach of the tournament award Ulundi United’s Sipho Jaca and Sphephelo Hlongwa walked away with the Player and Manager of the tournament respectively Coach Sandile Maseko thanked his players for the hard work that they put in all season “This is all we wanted from the beginning of the season Having played in the Nedbank Cup Last 32 gave us the confidence we needed to win the Hollywoodbets Regional League and gain promotion to the ABC Motsepe League,” said Dlamini Human Resources: hr@safa.net Legal Department: legal@safa.net Competitions Department: competitions@safa.net Coaching Education: coaching.education@safa.net Membership: regions@safa.net Referees Department: referees@safa.net SAFA Media: media@safa.net     76 Nasrec Road SAFA House, Nasrec Johannesburg, 2000 SAFA’s Women’s Football Strategy You can see how this popup was set up in our step-by-step guide: https://wppopupmaker.com/guides/auto-opening-announcement-popups/ Nhlanhla Mabaso 12 August 2024 | 13:03Old provincial legislature building not conducive for working: KZN Infrastructure DeptThe building was used as the legislature during the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP)-led government’s tenure. DURBAN - The Public Works and Infrastructure Department in KwaZulu-Natal says the old provincial legislature building in Ulundi is not conducive for working.   The building was used as the legislature during the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP)-led government’s tenure.   Two weeks ago, newly appointment Infrastructure MEC Martin Meyer inspected the building. He said there is a lot of infrastructure damage that needs fixing.   Eyewitness News caught up with the MEC on the sidelines of a school arts competition in Empangeni.  Last year, the provincial legislature debated whether the legislature should return to its old building in Ulundi. This is something the IFP strongly advocated for and is still pushing for. However, Meyer says following the inspection the building is not fit for use.   “There are a lot of challenges with that building and it concerns me because there various government departments that use that building for their offices and his majesty the King uses it for his office as well, and it’s not in a state fit for the staff of this government and his majesty to use.” Pointing out the challenges, Meyer said: “Lack of water and toilets that is not working, that is unacceptable.” However, he says there are plans in place to make the building work. KwaZulu-Natal's regional airports such as Ulundi, Richards Bay, Pietermaritzburg and Newcastle, are crucial for economic growth, serving as hubs for trade, tourism and freight. The Department of Transport in the province said it recognised their importance and aimed to revitalise them to ensure they could meet future demand. Although operational, these airports required further development to reach their full potential. Transport and Human Settlements MEC Siboniso Duma emphasised the importance of air connectivity for economic development and highlighted the Economic Regulation of Transport Bill as a framework for better collaboration across government and the private sector. “In relation to the aviation industry, this important piece of law provides for synergy across all spheres of government, departments, municipalities and the private sector. “I am saying this because air connectivity is critical to this province as it is one of the effective catalysts for socio-economic development. It has helped the province’s economy integrate with economies of the world, as demonstrated by King Shaka International Airport and Dube Trade Port,” said Duma. He said that the Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (Edtea) had injected funds in the repairs of the regional airports. About R115 million has been invested in the renovation and expansion of Mkuze Airport, around R5.5m for the renovations at Pietermaritzburg Airport, R5m for the renovations at Newcastle International Airport, R15m for the upgrade of Margate Airport, R500 000 for the renovations at Ulundi Airport and R2.8m for a feasibility study on the relocation of the Richards Bay Airport. The Richards Bay Airport in the uMhlathuze Local Municipality is operational and licensed as CAT5 (Category 5), with rescue and fire-fighting capability. “Richards Bay Airport is currently commercially operated. Of course, further development like an extension of the runway, extension of the terminal building and increase in passenger throughput will benefit further growth of the airport,” said Bongani Gina, the municipality’s spokesperson. Ulundi Airport in the Zululand District Municipality, licensed under CAT2 general aviation, currently has no scheduled flights but was working on a CAT4 licence and GNSS (global navigation satellite system) to attract scheduled airlines, said spokesperson Zanele Mthethwa. “If we want to see greater economic growth in the Zululand area it is important that we have this airport ready for scheduled flights. We are finalising our R2m upgrade investment by Edtea to help us update the infrastructure,” said Mthethwa. She said the region had impeccable tourism offerings. “International guests love safari experiences and this area is unique in that you can see the Big 5 and the weather is fantastic. The only thing missing is connecting flights from Johannesburg and Durban. If we want to see more international guests coming to this area, we have to provide scheduled air connectivity that can be booked from anywhere in the world,” said Mthethwa. The Federated Hospitality Association of South Africa (Fedhasa) said it was equally important to upgrade the facilities around the airports. “It is very clear that the municipal management understands aviation and its relation to the broader transport environment. But there are issues with leases for tenants and fuel provision at the airfields, because they do not want to give rights to other people to provide fuel. “The other one is safety and security,” said Fedhasa chairperson Brett Tungay. ULUNDI - The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) Youth Brigade in KwaZulu-Natal said it wants to mobilise large numbers of young people to rally behind the vision of its founder Thousands gathered at the Prince Mangosuthu Stadium in Ulundi for the celebration event on Sunday ALSO READ: 50 years after its founding, IFP wants to be celebrated as one of SA’s liberation movements The party’s youth wing said it wanted more young people to form part of the party "The Prince of KwaPhindangene believed that young people should go to school young people should obtain strategic positions," said the IFP’s Youth Brigade KwaZulu-Natal chairperson Maphisa added that they wanted young people to safeguard their late leader’s legacy we know that there is a huge task at stake we must make sure that wherever we are leading and representing young people we must do so with integrity and make sure people get fair opportunities." [WATCH] Some of party’s international friends arriving at the Garden court, they will also form part of today’s proceedings. #IFPturns50 @_NMabaso pic.twitter.com/qHxOMFokcd Please check your email and enter your one time pin below:   Open in Gmail Sorry there was an error loading the audio It’s government pension and grant payout day in Ulundi and masses of people when everyone from the elderly to mothers collecting the child support grant to those relying on the R350 Social Relief of Distress Grant descend on the small northern KwaZulu-Natal town Pandemonium breaks out and hawkers are pulled away and scurry for cover as a  young man passes them at full speed, pursued by armed security guards and a dark-tinted 4×4 bakkie. The guards chasing him are wearing linen masks, some have balaclavas. advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads The man on the run is too fast and he vanishes int0 the crowd and into oblivion They give up the chase but grab another shabbily dressed young man Some of them ask him if he didn’t get the message that amaphara (vagrants) are not welcome or wanted in Ulundi (the “High Place”) All of this is happening just outside the King Senzangakhona Mall, which made headlines during the July 2021 riots when IFP supporters guarded the town against looting It was one of the few towns in KZN untouched by the riots If you are a phara in Ulundi you have to go elsewhere to practise your vagrancy The guards grab the hapless man by the back of his pants and haul him away from the prying eyes and around the corner What happened to him there is anyone’s guess Hawkers, metered-taxi operators, shopkeepers and townspeople alike confirmed that in Ulundi vagrants or loitering homeless people are not welcome and they are tackled by private security – employed by both the Ulundi Local Municipality and private businesses – taxi owners and even hawkers. advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Although the municipality does not admit it in public it appears to be common knowledge that the security guards pestering assaulting and chasing away the homeless are doing so at the instigation of the municipality “to keep the town clean and crime-free” is one of the people who witnessed this incident said the guards were right to chase away vagrants were a big nuisance in the town before they were forcefully ordered to “leave” He said that apart from committing petty crime they sometimes forced grant recipients to pay them R100 to get into the queue for the pay point “Imagine you are coming to receive the R350 grant and now you have to pay iphara R100 to get into the queue Many people just pay them because if they don’t There are so many other things they are involved in the best way is for them to move away from here,” he said Other townspeople said many local vagrants had fled and sought asylum in less-hostile towns to avoid being assaulted or even killed “We don’t want pharas here in Ulundi,” said one female hawker Read Part One: Ulundi squatters who hijacked state-owned houses 20 years ago given an ultimatum: move out or else Read Part Two: The capital question – returning power to Ulundi lights a fire under electoral battle The Ulundi Local Municipality which is one of five municipalities under the Zululand District Municipality – one of South Africa’s poorest regions.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove adsadvertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads According to the 2016 Community Survey the Zululand District had 448,330 working-age people (between the ages of 15 and 64) while only 19% of the local population was formally employed More than 72,000 people in the district had no schooling at all and 61,000 had some form of primary education 104,000 had finished high school and only 20,150 had studied and passed at tertiary level Sixteen percent of the local population earned between R1 and R4,800 About 78% of the local households had access to electricity But the local municipality recently announced that only 20% of electricity users are paying for power The municipality owes more than R100-million to Eskom and is struggling to pay the debt so it has now embarked on an initiative to disconnect all those with illegal connections Only 64.4% of households had access to safe drinking water and only 14.7% had flush toilets Unemployment among young people in the Zululand District Municipality stood at 51.2% which was higher than the provincial average of 42.1% Ulundi is not the only town hostile to the homeless. Vryheid, which is about 121km away, is also for this, as is Port Shepstone, according to its residents, who say that, as a result, there are very few homeless people there.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads The amaphara are a fairly new phenomenon in South Africa. In the Durban city precinct alone their numbers range from 6,000 to more than 10,000, depending on who you ask – NGOs or local authorities.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Read more in Daily Maverick: 70% expenditure failure in KZN municipalities depicts ‘culture of tolerance for transgressions’ – and that’s before the floods and riots Local people said that before the unofficial crackdown against the homeless there were dozens of them roaming the town There is a lack of consensus on the total number of people living on the street in South Africa The Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) estimates between 100,000 and 200,000 Many sceptics say the number has increased to more than one million over the past few years Some are orphans who ended up on the street after losing their parents and other family to HIV and Aids Some are drug addicts and some are foreigners who came to the city in search of work and other opportunities but soon found themselves in financial desperation There are very few homeless people who say they want to live on the street for the rest of their lives Monique Marks heads up the Urban Futures Centre at the Durban University of Technology and has done extensive studies and reports on Durban’s homeless population over the years She said very few of the homeless are petty criminals and many other ordinary people trying to eke out a living in trying circumstances She said the hostility towards the homeless and vagrants is steadily increasing The hostility towards homeless people is everywhere you find it in the suburbs and in the township and rural areas The suburbs are constantly cleaning up and getting rid of homeless people That you don’t find homeless people in the suburbs is not because there live nicer people it’s just that there they are effective in ejecting poor and homeless people Marks adds: “Government needs to be instructing its professionals and officials about treating homeless people with dignity and care – not to treat them as subhuman Both the South African Police Service and the Metro Police need to be sensitised around what it means to be homeless They need to understand that being homeless is another form of living the government should work to give homeless people access to homes “There are very few homeless people who say they want to live on the street for the rest of their lives,” she said a Durban city centre-based Roman Catholic Church NGO that feeds thousands of homeless people daily and also offers drug addicts care and education The centre’s Nkosinathi Project for the Homeless offers a range of services including showers and clean clothes as well as a free clinic to help those affected by HIV Perrier said using security guards to “get rid” of the homeless is a widespread strategy in towns and cities throughout South Africa “This comes from the general feeling among communities that homeless are subhumans who do not deserve to be treated with dignity and human rights Incidents within the (Durban) city happen where the Metro Police the SAPS and private security officers would say they are doing a clean-up and a clean-up literally means taking homeless people off the street We have had many of those incidents and we have had to intervene.” Perrier said that during a summit with government officials and civil society organisations the former started complaining about the homeless “I immediately stood up and told them they will have to change their language and attitude when it comes to homeless people Homeless people are made into scapegoats for many things that are going wrong in our society and officials and security forces target the defenceless homeless people in order to be seen to be doing something,” he said adding that the whole country needs to change in the way it views homeless people and issues around homelessness a prominent IFP leader and mayor of the Ulundi Local Municipality denied that his town is on the mission to chase away homeless people “The problem of the homeless is a competency of the Department of Social Welfare and Development have very little resources to deal with this matter There is no special grant we get from the national government to deal with the problems of the homeless and the pharas when there are problems there are structures that deal with lawlessness and they normally do their best under the circumstances,” he said ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " The invaders – including alleged “hitmen” – squatting in more than 100 state-owned luxury houses and flats in Ulundi have been told to leave by 30 September 2023 or face eviction The buildings form part of the government complex built by the erstwhile KwaZulu homeland government since 1983, and were meant to house government employees and provincial ministers.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads The complex is made up of the legislative assembly building ministerial housing complex comprising 15 residences 25 housing units for senior KwaZulu-Natal government officials the Ulundi Airport and Ulundi Zulu Royal residence office Government officials say almost all of the more than 100 properties in and around Ulundi have been occupied by people who also threaten government maintenance contractors which has resulted in the buildings deteriorating Most of the hijacked houses and flats are in Ulundi’s B-North suburb Others are on vacant Department of Public Works-owned land which has been invaded and houses erected on it Flats that used to house government officials near the old legislature building in Ulundi The exodus of government business from Ulundi left many of the buildings empty and squatters moved in and the Department of Public Works has been picking up the tab for water refuse removal and municipal rates for these properties ever since the government had to settle a R100-million bill owed by the illegal tenants to the Ulundi Local Municipality for unpaid electricity and refuse collection One of the luxury houses – once home to senior government officials and MECs – has been stripped of its doors ceilings and upmarket kitchen fittings and vandalised to the point that cattle roam about the property The once magnificent lawns and flower gardens are a shadow of what they were Other houses on the same street are occupied illegally by professionals and government employees some of whom became apprehensive when they heard we were journalists and refused to speak on the record Some said they feared retribution from those who were “protecting the properties from being confiscated by the state” The old government flats in Ulundi have been left in a sorry state A woman, who appeared to be in her mid-forties, in one of the ministerial houses warned us against asking too many questions, saying we were lucky her husband was not in the house.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads A man in his thirties said he had occupied one of the properties with his wife, a nurse at the local hospital. He saw nothing wrong with the illegal occupations, he added.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads “We expect that at some stage the government will regularise our stay here and eventually give us all the rights One of the illegal occupants pulled out two firearms who described himself as a former policeman who is now a businessman is also described as one of the ringleaders who threaten government officials who try to reclaim the houses and flats “Some of us are former SDU (Self-Defence Unit the IFP-aligned paramilitary wings formed in the Eighties and Nineties) we too are military veterans who are supposed to get support from the state,” he continued “The former Umkhonto weSizwe (ANC armed wing) are feted by the state They are occupying houses and government flats and government assist them the ANC government wants to take it away from us.” In February 2023, Siboniso Majola, who heads the KZN public works department, said he had been physically threatened when he tried to engage the invaders.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads The buildings form part of the government complex built by the erstwhile KwaZulu homeland government since 1983 and were meant to house government employees and provincial ministers “I went to the old legislature complex in Ulundi to talk to some of the illegal occupants that they needed to vacate the flats. One of the illegal occupants pulled out two firearms, placed them on the table and said: ‘Yes, Mr Majola, we can talk now.’ I was terrified,” said Majola.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads said that when they used the police and security guards to remove the illegal occupiers and stationed security guards to look after the houses the guards were threatened by a heavily armed group of men who ordered them to “leave and the houses were reoccupied by the invaders an ANC MPL and chairperson of the public works portfolio committee in the provincial legislature said the invaders not only threaten government officials but also refuse any sort of engagement with officialdom to work together with the SAPS KZN provincial commissioner to get the squatters to leave these properties before the end of September “Those who are saying we are moving these people while leaving former MK members to occupy government houses are wrong,” she added “We will move on them even if they were occupied by former MK veterans because in this country there are laws and regulations you cannot just invade properties just like that.” The national Department of Public Works had said there were 14,000 properties – houses and plots – that “we have to secure and move out squatters we are looking at government properties across the province.” said the MEC and senior departmental officials are working with law enforcement agencies to engage the squatters and get them to move out “The department is liable to pay for services as long as the property is still in the asset register of the state We cannot allow a situation where people are illegally occupying government properties for free and government is only picking up the bills “We are also engaging the illegal occupiers to try and find an amicable solution to this problem We hope a solution will be found before the end of the September deadline the law will have to take its course and those who are occupying these properties illegally will be evicted,” Khumalo said says the issue has been turned unnecessarily into a political football an IFP MPL and a member of the portfolio committee said she will be conducting her own site visit to speak to the squatters “This matter was not thoroughly debated in the legislature but we members of the portfolio committee were surprised to see a political statement issued on behalf of the committee by ANC members,” she said told Daily Maverick that the municipality would like to see the problem sorted out as soon as possible “The municipality has nothing to do with these properties as they belong to the state The municipality only offers services like electricity and refuse removal to these properties and our officials deal with the Department of Public Works when there are outstanding rates and other charges I don’t have all the details and figures of how much is owed to the municipality with regard to these properties at this point in time,” he added Part Two – a Ground Level Report on the political power play over Ulundi; and Part Three – a deep dive into the unhoused in Ulundi