R70 million allocated for refurbishing Ulundi's historic legislature building and supporting Amakhosi

Close to R70 million will be spent on the refurbishment of the old legislature building in Ulundi and to provide pension and medical aid benefits for Amakhosi.

The funds will be generated through the cancelling of leases of private buildings leased by the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) in KwaZulu-Natal, according to the department.

KZN Cogta MEC Thulasiwe Buthelezi announced this at a joint media briefing with Martin Meyer, the MEC for Public Works and Infrastructure.

They announced plans for the legislature building, the allocation of properties from Public Works to Cogta, and the progress on the audit conducted by Public Works and Infrastructure on government properties.

During the meeting, it was revealed that close to 80 properties will be allocated from Public Works to Cogta for their use; they will also be responsible for maintaining those properties.

Buthelezi stated, “Like all other departments, KZN Cogta has been mandated to explore innovative ways to cut costs and improve efficiency. One of our biggest cost drivers has been the leasing of office space from the private sector.

“I am therefore pleased to announce that, as part of this initiative, our department will be cancelling a major lease in Pietermaritzburg, saving us R72 million over the next three years.

“These funds will be redirected towards the refurbishment of buildings, including the Chamber in Ulundi (the seat of the KZN Provincial House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders), and will also support our amakhosi through the provision of pension and medical aid.”

He added that Ulundi is the historic town and seat of the Provincial House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders, and with these properties now made available, Cogta will be able to:

• Provide dedicated office space and facilities for amakhosi and izinduna, reducing the burden of travel and costly accommodation during sittings of the House, executive committee meetings, and other important gatherings.
• Refurbish and repurpose existing properties to create a hub that supports the work of traditional leaders, ensuring they are better equipped to serve their communities.
• Expand government presence in Ulundi, making services more accessible to rural communities while strengthening the link between traditional leadership structures and municipalities.

In a statement, the department further stated that the building will undergo a comprehensive refurbishment to bring it up to modern standards and is part of Cogta’s broader strategy to optimise the use of state-owned assets and reduce reliance on costly private leases.

Meyer noted that the old Ulundi Legislature building remains one of the buildings with great historical significance for the province.

However, over the years, it has been neglected and costs to repair it were mounting. The building also suffered storm damage. The building houses staff from various departments, including SASSA and Home Affairs.

“I can confirm today that KZN Public Works and Infrastructure is ready to begin repairs to the damaged section of the building. I am happy to announce that KZN Cogta has approached us to express interest in taking over the building.

“Therefore, as KZN Public Works and Infrastructure, we will be transferring ownership of the old Ulundi legislature building to my fellow MEC, Reverend Buthelezi, and his department, who will use it for the purposes of the House of Traditional Leaders.”

He stated that KZN Public Works has made strides in dealing with numerous abandoned, unutilised, and hijacked buildings.

“Some of these have been identified in the area of Ulundi, where KZN Public Works and Infrastructure has a number of properties that have become either abandoned or illegally occupied.

“In this regard, a Memorandum of Understanding has been formed between KZN Public Works and Infrastructure and KZN Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs that will realise the transfer of 80 units of flats to KZN Cogta.”

Speaking on the audit of government assets, he said it has so far found that of the 10,067 assets owned by KZN Public Works and Infrastructure, 8,110 were found to be fully utilised. Of the remainder, 681 were found to be unutilised; additionally, 201 assets were found to be under-utilised, translating to an under-utilisation rate of 2.2% of all audited immovable assets.

THE MERCURY