Durban’s business community is noticing a city that answers when it calls. The latest Durban Business Confidence Index (DBCI) shows that the share of respondents who doubted eThekwini Municipality would address service delivery complaints within a reasonable timeframe fell from 77.4% in the first quarter of 2026 to 71.2% in the second quarter — a meaningful swing in perceptions of the city’s responsiveness, SAnews reports.
The municipality says the improvement reflects deliberate interventions to strengthen service delivery systems, speed up response times and accelerate infrastructure rehabilitation across the city. While the overall index softened slightly during the quarter — a dip the report attributes largely to global geopolitical factors beyond the city’s control — Durban’s index remained above the national reading, and the responsiveness gains stood out as a bright spot.
Billions Flowing Into the Basics
Behind the improved perceptions sits a substantial investment programme. Among the commitments highlighted by the municipality:
- R995 million for sanitation infrastructure and services and R495.7 million for water infrastructure improvements in the 2026/27 financial year;
- The Southern Aqueduct project, expected to strengthen bulk water supply for more than 1.2 million residents;
- R128 million for upgrading the inner-city road network, alongside intensified pothole repairs, resurfacing and stormwater upgrades on priority business and public transport routes;
- R92 million this financial year to strengthen the waste management fleet and support critical operations;
- R162.7 million for Durban Metro Police, Fire and Emergency Services, Disaster Management and the Safer Cities programme.
eThekwini Water and Sanitation has set itself concrete targets for the year: 4 000 new water connections, reducing non-revenue water to 48.6%, and ensuring that 95% of all water connections are metered, backed by accelerated pipe replacement, reservoir upgrades and leak detection.
The Lights Stay On
Electricity has become one of the city’s strongest-performing services. Only 1.4% of survey respondents flagged power supply as a major concern — helped by the continued suspension of national load shedding since March 2024, which the municipality says has given businesses and residents welcome certainty and supported economic activity across the city.
A Partnership With Business
Municipal Marketing and Communications Director Mandla Nsele said the city values the feedback loop with organised business. “The municipality values feedback from organised business formations and residents, as it assists in identifying priority areas requiring intervention. We will continue implementing targeted programmes, monitoring performance and accelerating infrastructure investment to improve service delivery outcomes,” he said.
Nsele acknowledged that challenges remain, but said the improved perception of the municipality’s responsiveness shows the current interventions are beginning to yield results. For a city investing at this scale in water, roads, waste and safety, the message from the latest index is encouraging: Durban’s turnaround is being noticed by the people best placed to judge it.
Photo: commons.wikimedia.org
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