Deadline extended for Endumeni to pass its 2026/2027 budget
The extension is seen as a last opportunity for the council to get its finances in order before more drastic action is taken.
The KwaZulu-Natal government has extended the deadline for the embattled eNdumeni Municipality to pass its 2026/27 budget, giving councillors a final window to break a political deadlock that has stalled governance and threatened service delivery.
KZN Finance MEC Francois Rodgers said the municipality will now have until July 31 to adopt a legally compliant budget after failing three times to do so, most recently during a council sitting on July 13.
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The extension is seen as a last opportunity for the council to get its finances in order before more drastic action is taken.
“The continued failure to adopt a budget points to a breakdown in political leadership at a time when residents expect their elected representatives to prioritise service delivery,” Rodgers said.
While political differences are part of any democracy, they should never come at the expense of the people of Endumeni.
Rodgers has since requested an urgent meeting with Endumeni mayor Mcebo Mkhize to establish the reasons behind the impasse and to push for a resolution before the new deadline.
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Treasury said it remains ready to assist the municipality in drafting a “credible and funded budget” that complies with the Municipal Finance Management Act.
However, the extension comes with a stark warning.
Rodgers said that if the municipality fails again to adopt a budget by July 31, the Government of Provincial Unit (GPU) will invoke Section 139(4) of the Constitution, effectively placing Endumeni under administration.
