By Sithembiso Dindi
KwaDukuza’s failed hopes and dreams are not just campaign slogans for Democratic Alliance (DA) mayoral candidate Privi Makhan. They are personal to the Ward 22 councillor, whose family has called the KwaZulu-Natal north coast town home for three generations.
Makhan says years of mismanagement, corruption, poor service delivery and political instability have left the municipality in need of change ahead of the November 4 local government elections.
KwaDukuza, formerly known as Stanger, was once an economic powerhouse driven by sugarcane farming. However, the municipality has faced allegations of financial mismanagement, including the reported theft of R37 million from its Absa bank account in February 2025.
In January 2025, President Cyril Ramaphosa also ordered the Special Investigating Unit to investigate two municipal tenders following allegations that contractors paid kickbacks to municipal officials.
These issues have motivated Makhan to contest the mayoral position, saying residents have been let down by successive administrations, most of which have been led by the ANC.
“I think I have seen the failures over the last seven years that I have been in local government and the reality of KwaDukuza right now is at a time for a shift in the status quo,” she told Credible Source.
Makhan said campaigning across the municipality had exposed her to the difficult conditions residents face.
“The failed hopes and dreams of KwaDukuza… it’s so personal for me. It makes me very emotional,” she said.
She recalled meeting a 15-year-old girl with a double amputation who did not have a wheelchair or access to a toilet. Makhan said she intervened by providing the girl with a wheelchair.
“How does a 15-year-old relieve herself with basic dignity?” she asked.
A 2020 study by Bongani Douglas Mthiyane found that youth unemployment in KwaDukuza stood at 31%. The study linked high unemployment in the iLembe District municipalities to crime and other social challenges.
Makhan believes poor infrastructure and governance have also discouraged businesses from investing in KwaDukuza’s central business district (CBD), with investment concentrated in wealthier areas such as Ballito and Salt Rock.
“There’s a number of priorities, but the first one is to get the basics right. The basics are completely broken in this municipality. Once you get the infrastructure working, businesses will come here,” she said.
DA faces an uphill battle
The DA faces a challenge in winning over voters in a municipality where the ANC has traditionally enjoyed strong support.
In the 2021 local government elections, the ANC received 49.60% of the vote, while the DA secured 15.53%. ActionSA received 7.87%, contributing to the DA’s decline from the 19.71% it obtained in 2016.
Despite the challenge, Makhan believes her experience as a councillor and opposition caucus leader demonstrates her ability to govern.
She pointed to her work in Ward 22 and cited uMngeni Municipality Mayor Chris Pappas as an example of what the DA could achieve in local government.
Makhan said her priorities would include clean governance, preventing financial mismanagement, improving infrastructure and strengthening service delivery.
“I urge our people to trust us as the DA and if we don’t deliver, they can vote us out after five years,” she said.
Her campaign has also attracted interest from residents. During a visit to the CBD, two young women recognised her and pledged their support, while resident Nathi Cele said he believed she deserved an opportunity to turn the municipality around.
“I have faith in this lady and I believe we should give her a chance to turn around our municipality because the people we have elected before have failed us,” Cele said.
Makhan calls for more women in politics
Makhan said women continue to face challenges in politics, particularly in environments shaped by patriarchal attitudes.
“In KwaDukuza context, being a woman is harder in politics,” she said, adding that women must create space for others to participate and make an impact.
Makhan draws inspiration from Pakistani education activist Malala Yousafzai and said education remains one of her priorities.
She has supported Sizani Combined School in her ward through community-funded initiatives, including funding a Grade 1 teacher, providing teachers’ assistants and organising regular clean-ups.
Before entering politics, Makhan worked in the private sector in property and portfolio management. She entered politics in 2019 after winning a by-election in Ward 22 and left the private sector in 2022 to focus on her political responsibilities.
Makhan also revealed that she once studied journalism at Natal Technikon, which later became Durban University of Technology (DUT), but left before completing her studies.
Now, as she campaigns to lead KwaDukuza, she says her personal connection to the town drives her determination to bring change to the municipality.
