HLUHLUWE, KwaZulu-Natal — After decades without proper roads, residents of several rural villages under uMkhanyakude have welcomed the appointment of contractors to build the long-promised Skhwakwanani-Ngwenya Road.
Road to connect seven villages long left without tar
The contractor appointment was announced at a gathering in kwaMakhasa, Hluhluwe over the weekend, when community members came together to greet the teams who will begin construction. The project was appointed by the Big Five Hlabisa Local Municipality and will link a string of villages that residents say have been cut off from basic services and regular transport since the apartheid era.
Officials said the new road will run from eNyathini through several settlements, including Bhojabhoja and Makhombana, and will extend to other neighbouring villages.
| Project | Key villages | Municipality |
|---|---|---|
| Skhwakwanani-Ngwenya Road | eNyathini, Bhojabhoja, Makhombana (and others) | Big Five Hlabisa Local Municipality |
Residents have for years described severe difficulties accessing health care, education and markets because of poor or non-existent roads. Community members also said that emergency vehicles, including ambulances, have been unable to reach people in urgent need.
"My village has never had a proper road since I was born," Phikisiwe Gumede, from eNyathini village, said. "We will finally feel free once the project is complete."
Mayor Comfort Khumalo of Big Five Hlabisa told residents the road will create a vital link between remote settlements and larger service centres. Local leaders framed the project as a corrective step for infrastructural neglect dating back to apartheid-era planning.
What the road means for local residents
Community leaders and residents expect several immediate and longer-term benefits:
- Improved access for ambulances and emergency services.
- Easier travel to schools, clinics and markets.
- Potential for better delivery of municipal services and increased economic activity.
Construction timelines and the names of the appointed contractors were announced locally at the event; the municipality confirmed the appointments but did not publish a detailed schedule in the reporting made available.
Separate police operation leads to arrests in Durban
In a related report from northern KwaZulu-Natal, three suspects linked to a cash-in-transit heist in Nongoma on 6 August 2026 were arrested in Durban, where they had been hiding, according to the reporting.
The Nongoma incident occurred in the Nkunzana area when security guards escorting cash for a pension payout from Pongola were ambushed along the R66. The attackers — travelling in two vehicles — fired on an armoured van before inflicting further damage to getaway vehicles.
Police and investigators recovered several items from an abandoned VW Combi, including R23,000 in damaged banknotes, a cellphone, balaclavas, live ammunition and cartridges. After the ambush, the suspects allegedly burned two getaway vehicles and continued their escape, abandoning additional vehicles at Mondlo township and Gluckstadt.
Authorities said the armoured vehicle itself was left near Nkamani Dam. The suspects were tracked to Durban and arrested following an intensive operation.
Local context and next steps
The appointment of contractors for the Skhwakwanani-Ngwenya Road follows years of community pressure and public outcry. Rural roads remain a significant challenge across parts of KwaZulu-Natal, affecting service delivery, emergency response times and economic opportunities.
Residents will be watching the municipality for firm construction timelines, clear maintenance commitments and transparent oversight to ensure the project benefits the intended communities. In the case of the Nongoma heist, further police proceedings are expected as investigations continue and the arrested suspects await court appearances.
For residents in remote parts of uMkhanyakude, the road project represents more than new tar; it is a long-awaited lifeline to services and a step toward correcting decades of neglect.
Reporting from Hluhluwe and Nongoma.
