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2026 OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE KWAZULU-NATAL LEGISLATURE AND THE STATE OF THE PROVINCE ADDRESS (SOPA)

In keeping with our practice in KwaZulu-Natal, this year’s Official Opening of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature will take place over two days. The first day is dedicated to the Official Address to the Legislature by His Majesty King Misuzulu KaZwelithini who will deliver his message to the Members to mark the beginning of the Third Session of the Seventh KwaZulu-Natal Legislature. This is the 3rd official address by His Majesty under the government of provincial unity, and it is crucial in building and strengthening unity and cohesion in the province.

The second day is dedicated to the State of the Province Address (SOPA) by the Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, Hon. AT Ntuli, who will outline the programme of action and priorities for the provincial government to be implemented during the current year (2026).

This year’s two-day event will be held at the Woodburn Stadium in Pietermaritzburg. The decision to hold this session away from the Legislature precinct in the Pietermaritzburg CBD is primarily informed by space constraints in our chamber which cannot accommodate all the guests and the public. The current Legislature chamber can only accommodate 120 people in the public gallery, which will not cover the number of guests that attend the Official Opening of the Legislature.

These have been scheduled to take place as follows:

Dates:

26 February 2026 : Official Address by His Majesty King Misuzulu KaZwelithini,

27 February 2026: State of the Province Address (SOPA) by the Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, Hon. AT Ntuli

Venue: Woodburn Rugby Stadium, Pietermaritzburg Time: 09H00

Members of the media are invited to attend and cover the proceedings on both days. Media accreditation will be done as follows:

· 24 February 2026: Media briefing at the Public Works Offices Boardroom in Mayville, Durban from 14h00.

· 25 February 2026: Legislature Administration Building (Albertina Sisulu Building) from 10h00.

· 26 and 27 February 2026: Hosana Church, Woodhouse Road, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg from 8h00 to 9h00.

Issued by the KZN Legislature Communications Unit

For more information contact:

Sina Nxumalo: 0829060449

Wonder Hlongwa: 0829083532

Wesley Canham: 0833767299

Bongani Tembe: 0823272600

Joseph Cubai: 0605344187

The KZN health Portfolio Committee in its duty to perform oversight over healthcare facilities tomorrow, 19 February 2026, from 9am visit a rural Nkonjeni Hospital with 11 residential clinics attached to it. This will be followed by a visit to a 67 bed St. Francis Community hospital, a repurposed facility which serves as down referral for Nkonjeni hospital.

The chairperson Hon Imran Keeka emphasized the importance of this visit amid the proposed merger of the two facilities, a process which began in 2013. “It is important that we monitor successes and challenges of such complex merger as was proposed to improve the provision of healthcare for the benefit of our people”.

The Committee will receive a presentation from the Department of Public Works which will provide progress report on the upgrading of the facility, the delays that may have been   experienced, and various challenges encountered in the construction phases. This will give the Committee the opportunity to intervene where there is a need so that the project can finally be delivered to the expectations of the citizens.

Hon Keeka will be available to take media interviews.

End

ISSUED BY KZN LEGISLATURE

For Enquiries contact:

DR I Keeka

Chairperson: Health Portfolio Committee

083 703 9135

Wesley Canham

Senior Practitioner Media liaison

0833767299

MEDIA ADVISORY

19 February 2026

KZN LEGISLATORS UNDERTAKE OVERSIGHT VISIT TO THE MULTI-BILLION RAND LOWER UMKHOMAZI BULK WATER SUPPLY SCHEME

Tomorrow, 19 February 2026, members of the KwaZulu-Natal Portfolio Committee for Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) will visit a water supply facility designed to significantly increase water supply in eThekwini Municipality and Ugu District Municipality.

The Lower uMkhomazi Bulk Water Supply project is being implemented by water utility, uMngeni-uThukela Water and it is valued at over R20 billion. Members of the committee will inspect the progress that has been made at the Ngwadini Dam Off Channel Storage Project in Umdoni Municipality and the Goodenough Abstraction Works in eThekwini Municipality.

COGTA Portfolio Committee Chairperson, Mrs Marlaine Nair, said the visit was extremely important, adding that the mega water project would address severe water scarcity, which is having a major impact on daily life and the economy.

The media is invited to cover tomorrow’s inspection which will take place as follows:

FIRST VISIT

Date  : 19 February 2026

Site   : Ngwadini Dam Off Channel Storage Project, KwaQiko, Umdoni Municipality

Time : 9 am

SECOND VISIT

Date : 19 February 2026

Site  : Goodenough Abstraction Works, eThekwini Municipality’s Ward 99

Time: 12:30 midday

ISSUED BY THE KWAZULU-NATAL COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF COGTA PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE, MS MARLAINE NAIR

For enquiries contact Mr Bongani Tembe on 0823272600

13 February 2026

The KZN Legislature’s Human Settlements Portfolio Committee recently visited Jozini Municipality’s Military Veterans Housing Project as part of the committee’s oversight over the Department of Human Settlements.

The committee, led by Honourable Dr Andile Biyela, met with the leadership of the municipality, which included the mayor and officials from the Department of Human Settlements.

Members of the committee received reports from the municipality and the department about the status of housing projects in Jozini.

The committee also received reports about the devastating floods which took place in the Jozini area in January this year.

Jozini Local Municipality Disaster Manager Ayanda Gumede told the committee that 268 households were affected, involving 2444 people. She said that 176 houses were destroyed and 96 were partially damaged. The committee will discuss these issues at its next meeting with the Human Settlements Department.

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MEDIA STATEMENT

13 February 2026

KZN LEGISLATURE CONCLUDES PUBLIC HEARINGS ON KZN MONEY BILLS AMENDMENT PROCEDURE AND RELATED MATTERS BILL

The KwaZulu-Natal Legislature’s Finance Portfolio Committee wrapped up its public hearings today on the important piece of legislation, designed to enhance oversight over the provincial budget and to improve public participation on amendments of money bills.

The hearings were part of the legislative processes leading up to the introduction of the KwaZulu-Natal Money Bills Amendment Procedure and Related Matters Bill, 2025 in the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature.

The bill establishes the procedure for amending money bills, such as the provincial budget and it enables the legislature to propose changes to spending. It also provides for the establishment of KwaZulu-Natal Legislature Budget Office to offer research and technical support. 

Public hearings were held in Amajuba and Ugu Districts to ensure that there is adequate public participation in the law-making process and that the quality of the proposed legislation is enhanced. Advertisements were also placed on media platforms inviting all interested parties to submit comments.

Summarizing the outcomes of the hearings, Finance Portfolio Committee Chairman, Honourable Mthandeni Dlungwana said that the public engagements were organized to allow citizens to voice support or opposition, provide expert and evidence-based inputs.

“We are happy as the committee that the people of KwaZulu-Natal have not only made concrete proposals or inputs to the bill, but they have also given it the green light. This paves the way for the finance committee to take the next step, which is tabling the bill in the House,” added Dlungwana.

Honourable Dlungwana said that the people of KwaZulu-Natal had thrown their weight behind the bill because it is designed to ensure that the provincial budget is more responsive to people’s needs. “People are expecting our proposed legislation to empower legislators to monitor and scrutinize how government departments and entities raise and spend taxpayers’ money. This is a cornerstone of hard-won democracy,” Dlungwana said. The closing date for submitting written comments is the 27th of February 2026.

ISSUED BY THE KWAZULU-NATAL LEGISLATURECOMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE FINANCE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN, HONOURABLE MTHANDENI DLUNGWANA