Five Years Later, R31 Million Dannhauser Library Now Costs R39 Million and Remains Unfinished

Five years after it was announced with promises of jobs, learning opportunities and modern community facilities, a library project in Dannhauser remains unfinished, with its cost having climbed from R31 million to approximately R39 million.

The KwaMdakane Library, funded through the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Sports, Arts and Culture, was first introduced in April 2021 as a state-of-the-art facility intended to serve Ward 11 residents.

Instead, the project has become yet another example of delayed public infrastructure, rising costs, poor accountability and frustrated communities still waiting for basic services to materialise.

Nevertheless, pressure has now intensified following an oversight visit by the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature’s Portfolio Committee for the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture on 28 April 2026.

The visit, led by Committee Chairperson Sizophila Mkhize, placed the Dannhauser Municipality and the department under renewed scrutiny over why the project has taken so long to complete.

Among the concerns raised were the reallocation of library staff who were appointed more than two years ago, furniture reportedly left unused for a similar period, and growing anger among residents who were promised a functioning public facility years earlier.

The project was originally launched on 16 April 2021, when the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture and the Dannhauser Municipality proudly introduced the first contractor during a sod-turning ceremony. At the time, the development was presented as a major step forward for the community.

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The planned facility included a study area for 200 people, a mini-library for the blind, a computer room with free Wi-Fi, ten ablution facilities, CCTV security, clear-view fencing, a guardhouse, ample parking, and access ramps for disabled and non-disabled users.

However, despite the early promises, progress stalled.

During the April 2026 oversight visit, Dannhauser Mayor Councillor Radebe explained that the municipality had previously tried to escalate the matter, with correspondence sent to the Portfolio Committee in July 2025 and later to the MEC in October 2025.

Although a handover had at one stage appeared close, unresolved issues, particularly leaks, continued to delay completion.

Furthermore, the Dannhauser Municipality’s Communications Unit stated that Mr Msame, Technical Director representing the department, acknowledged delays dating back to 2021. These were attributed to flood-related disruptions and contractor challenges, including contractors allegedly absconding from the project.

According to the municipality, a new contractor was appointed in April 2026 and is currently finalising the outstanding work, with completion now anticipated by the end of May 2026.

By this stage, however, the project’s cost had already increased from the original R31 million to approximately R39 million. The department has since confirmed that consequence management processes will be instituted against contractors for poor performance.

Committee members welcomed the municipality’s persistence in escalating the matter, but also labelled the delays an injustice to the community.

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Mkhize was direct in her criticism, describing the situation as unacceptable and a betrayal of young people in the area. She confirmed that the committee would return on 2 June 2026 to verify whether the project had finally been completed.

On Tuesday, 5 May 2026, Tammy Colley MPL, the Democratic Alliance’s KZN Spokesperson on Sports, Arts and Culture, added further pressure, stating;

“The KwaMdakane Library was intended to provide much-needed access to books, information and digital connectivity to Ward 11 residents. Instead, it has become yet another example of delayed service delivery. Regrettably, the reasons for the delays are all too familiar. Interference by so-called ‘business forums’ and poor contractor performance have once again undermined progress on a critical public project.”

Colley said that while the DA supports action against underperforming contractors, such action should be taken early enough to prevent years of delay.

“During the oversight inspection, portfolio committee members received a firm commitment from KZN’s Department of Sports, Arts and Culture (DSAC) and the contractor that the project will be completed by the end of May. This commitment must now be honoured without further excuses or extensions. The people of Dannhauser deserve a functioning library that opens doors to knowledge, opportunity and development. Each delay has not only stalled progress, it has also undermined the dignity of the community,” she stated.

As the end-of-May deadline approaches, the unfinished Dannhauser library has become more than a delayed construction project. It now stands as a test of public accountability, contractor oversight and whether communities can trust that long-promised government projects will actually be delivered.

For Ward 11 residents, the question is no longer whether the library was needed. That was settled five years ago. The question now is why a project announced in 2021, originally valued at R31 million, still remains unfinished in 2026 after its cost climbed to around R39 million.

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