The eThekwini Municipality has sought to defend its decision to spend R2.8 million on a citywide rebranding project saying the funds were from its Communications Unit’s existing budget and will not impact core service delivery projects.

The municipality was responding after opposition parties questioned the project, which was first approved by council in 2017. It aims to replace the current municipal logo—commonly known as “the Dome”—and develop a new brand identity that reflects the City’s evolving character and unites residents.

According to the municipality, the current brand does not resonate with the public, and internal sub-brands have developed with no visual alignment.

Head of Communications Mandla Nsele explained that the project was not just about the logo but was a process that "seeks to tackle service delivery challenges through inculcating a service delivery ethos among employees. This includes improving the organisational culture and instilling ‘Batho Pele’ principles as the cornerstone of improving service delivery.”

He added that the R2.8 million budget covers public participation campaigns, roadshows, design development, competition prizes and the creation of a branding manual.

“The rebranding will not immediately require a complete overhaul of municipal uniforms, vehicle branding, signage, stationery, and assets, but this will be done in a phased-out approach over a five-year period,” said Nsele.

He emphasised that the funds come from the Communications Unit’s existing budget and will not impact core service delivery projects, which have been allocated R10 billion to rebuild critical infrastructure such as water, electricity, and solid waste systems.

But the DA in eThekwini has rejected the explanation and has launched a petition to stop the project.

“The full cost of the project remains undisclosed. We call on the residents and businesses of eThekwini to support this petition and make their voices heard,” said DA eThekwini caucus leader councillor Thabani Mthethwa.

He accused the municipality of reckless spending at a time when “eThekwini is still recovering from multiple crises, including the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, five catastrophic floods, ongoing power outages, water shortages, and a failing infrastructure network.”

Mthethwa added that a new look or logo would eventually require the complete rebranding of municipal assets, uniforms, and signage, potentially costing millions more: “Instead of wasting money on a logo change, the municipality should be using every available cent to fix our broken infrastructure, improve service delivery, and combat rampant corruption.”

ActionSA has also condemned the project, calling it “wasteful”.

The party's spokesperson Saneli Zuma, ActionSA said: “What is there to rebrand in a city that is collapsing? No new logo will fix the decaying CBD, the surge in illegal businesses or the city’s failure to enforce its own by-laws.”

Zuma added, “This vanity project is an insult to residents who face daily water and electricity failures, staff shortages, and a municipality incapable of fulfilling its core mandate.” The party said it would write to the City Manager demanding the immediate cancellation of the project.

Despite the backlash, the municipality insists the rebranding is part of a broader strategy to improve service delivery by reshaping the internal culture and fostering greater alignment between staff and the public.

THE MERCURY