{
  "id": 5016004,
  "title": "KZN government probes sale of Umlazi disability centre to Mangosuthu university",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/02/kzn-government-probes-sale-of-umlazi-disability-centre-to-mangosuthu",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-02T04:30:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "IOL",
    "slug": "iol",
    "url": "https://iol.co.za/news/south-africa/kwazulu-natal/2026-09-02-kzn-government-probes-sale-of-umlazi-disability-centre-to-mangosuthu-university/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The KwaZulu-Natal government is investigating the possibility of selling the Enduduzweni disability centre in Umlazi to Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT). During an oversight visit, the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature’s Public Works Portfolio Committee toured the dilapidated centre, which suffers from collapsed roofs, empty halls, overgrown lawns, and missing windows. The centre, which has been in existence since the early 1990s, has been plagued by vandalism and theft of resources. The committee also heard that the residents of the centre, who have been living there since the 1990s, are facing hardships and have pleaded for assistance. The committee's chairperson, Petros Msimango, stated that the centre was inherited by the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure from the Department of Social Development and had been condemned as inhospitable since 2016. The committee is now concerned about the future of the centre's residents and intends to work with the Social Development portfolio committee to address their situation.",
  "summary": "Residents of Umlazi’s deteriorating Enduduzweni Centre face an uncertain future with plans to sell the facility in the pipeline.",
  "key_points": [
    "KZN government investigating Umlazi disability centre sale to Mangosuthu University.",
    "Centre dilapidated with collapsed roofs, empty halls, overgrown lawns, missing windows.",
    "Residents facing hardships, plea for assistance, centre condemned since 2016."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The KwaZulu-Natal government's investigation into the sale of the Enduduzweni disability centre to Mangosuthu University raises concerns about the future of the centre's long-time residents and the potential change in their care.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}