The Durban City Hall Auditorium renovations cost the eThekwini Municipality R29.8 million, with repairs expected to be completed by June 2028.
The 115-year-old facility needed repairs due to the collapse of ceiling portions in the main auditorium hall and on the premises, as well as storm damage repairs resulting from the 2022 storm. Renovations commenced in March 2024.
The municipality said further investigation found that the hall required major complex renovations that conform to heritage compliance, building regulations, fire protection compliance, and integration into the AMAFA heritage sphere.
The municipality outlined the causes for project delays, including poor contractor performance that resulted in terminating the initial contractor in March 2026.
eThekwini ward councillor Samier Singh brought up the matter in July 2026 when he probed the renovation delays and asked for the comparative cost of alternative council venues.
Singh said the Durban City Hall had reportedly been unavailable for council meetings since before the Covid-19 pandemic.
He asked how much the municipality spent annually on hiring the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre (ICC) and other external venues for council meetings since the city hall became unavailable.
In a written response to Singh, the municipality stated that the renovations are being implemented in phases due to the complexity of the works and financial considerations.
Phases
The renovations are categorised into four phases:
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Phase 2A(ii): Heritage compliance and building regulation compliance works, including installation of the fire protection system; electrical and electronic Installation works; ICT, network, and various building refurbishments.
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Phase 2B: Heritage compliance and building regulation compliance; replacement of the main hall/auditorium ceiling; replacement of the sprung timber floors; wall finishes and ancillary electrical works.
The municipality said that Phase 2A(ii) and Phase 2B would be implemented according to the provisional programme.
Delays
The municipality said the project delays centred around the use of a safety net below the ceiling. After intensive assessments of the safety net options, it was agreed to omit the installation in favour of replacing the existing failing auditorium ceiling with a new ceiling.
The scope for the auditorium lower roof initially required replacement of the roof sheeting; however, rot exposed medium to severe timber damage to the roof substructure.
“The roof sheeting could not be replaced without replacing the substructure. There was additional time and increased scope as this was not included in the original project scope.
“During renovations, unforeseen works were unearthed which impacted scoped work and required additional time, like decayed timber flooring for the auditorium 1st and 2nd floor foyer areas,” the municipality said.
The municipality said it does not incur a net financial loss by using the ICC. It believes that income will be generated through the auditorium hall hire as well as other socio-economic benefits to the city.
“Procurement processes are underway to ensure the award of new contractors with the necessary capacity and capability to successfully undertake complex work related to the City Hall Auditorium renovations,” the municipality said.
zainul.dawood@iol.co.za
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