PHOTO: SHANTI JAFTA
Concernsmountover‘under-resourced’police
SHANTIJAFTA
NELSON Mandela Bay’s Metro Police is reportedly operating withacrippledvehiclefleet, with only four operational vehicles currently available to patrol the metro’s 60 wards while the majority of its 22-vehicle fleetremains out of service awaiting repairs, partsand tyres.
Thestate of the fleet, alongsidebroader concerns overcrime, infrastructure vandalism and lawlessness in Kariega andDespatch, took centrestage during aDemocraticAlliance (DA) media briefing this week, where the party unveiled plans to dramatically expand the City’sMetro Police force should it takecontrol of Nelson Mandela Bay after the 2026 Local Government Elections
DA Nelson Mandela Bay mayoral candidate, Retief Odendaal, said the metro police department had become “a law enforcement agency in name only”, with only 126 operationalofficers currently serving the metro. According to Odendaal, just 18 officers are deployedper 12hour shift, equating to fewer than oneofficer forevery threewards.
Odendaalsaidthe DA’s planwould seethe metropoliceforce expanded to morethan500 officersand over60vehicles within five years, with the aim of ensuring 24-hourpolicing coverage across all wards.
He said the first phaseofthe plan wouldinvolvedoubling the number of officers within 12 months by upskilling existing municipal security personnel.
“We have at least 50 metro police candidates whohavealready gone through formal trainingbut were never absorbed,” Odendaal said He added that many of the City’s existing security staff could also be trained as metropolice officers, arguing that the municipality already had the financial resources available but was failingtoutilise itssafety andsecurity budget effectively.
During the briefing, DA councillor Jason Grobbelaar confirmedthatthe City’sspecialised mobile surveillance vehicle,equipped with agimbal-mountedcamerasystem,remained outof operation owing to contractual andsupplier-relatedissues. He said the unit hadbeen sent to another supplier for repairs, although no estimated return date had beenprovided. Questions around the disappearance and deterioration ofpreviously procured metropolice vehicles werealso raised duringthe briefing.
Odendaalalleged that Nelson Mandela Bay’s fleet management system wasdysfunctional,
withsome vehicles reportedly waiting months for basicrepairs.
“It’ssobroken thatsometimes acar hasto wait three months for abattery,”Odendaal said.
The DA linked the decline in lawenforcement capacity to growing levels of criminalityand infrastructure vandalism across the metro, particularly in Kariega and Despatch, where residents currently face prolonged electricityoutagesand water disruptions.
DA provincialleader Andrew Whitfield said cable theft and vandalism were contributing directly to service delivery failures andeconomic decline in the region.
“When cables are stolen and power goes out and infrastructure is damaged andbylaws aren’t enforced, companies shut down,” Whitfield said He warned that residents were increasingly losing confidence in both the municipality and the South African Police Service(SAPS), creating conditions where communities could resort totaking the lawinto their ownhands.
Odendaal further accused the current ANC/ EFF-ledcoalitiongovernment of neglecting Kariega andDespatch, claiming the areas were under-resourced and overlooked administratively.
“Thereare communities here[Kariega] that have hadwater interruptions for150 days,”he
said.
He argued that the Kariega region, despite being asignificant contributor to the metro’s rates base throughits industrial sector,had not received adequate staffing, budget allocations or infrastructure maintenance support.
TheDA’s broader safety plan includes reinstating NelsonMandela Bay’s CCTV camera network and jointoperations centre, introducing ShotSpotter gun-detection technology, increasing bylawenforcementcapacity and strengthening partnerships with neighbourhood watches.
Odendaal said visible policing and functioning bylawenforcement were essential to restoring order in the city. “Becausethereare no consequences in NelsonMandela Bay, there is adefinite state of lawlessness,” he said In response, the NelsonMandela BayMunicipality spokesperson Sithembiso Soyaya clarified, “The Metro Police Department currently has afleet of 50 vehicles, which includes trucks, light delivery vehicles, motorcycles, sedans and minibuses. At present, 11 vehicles areoperational, while the remaining vehicles areundergoing repairs and maintenance at the municipal automotive garage.The Municipali-
ty confirmsthat efforts areunderway to return the fleet to full service as urgently as possible,” he said
With regardtothe recently received fleet allocation, Soyaya saidonly two vehicles were designated for the Metro Police Department.
TheMunicipality further clarifiedthat the KwaNobuhle Metro Police Precinct has never been closed. “The Department is currently transitioning into upgraded premises located on the same site,” he said. “The renovations areintended to provide amoresecureworkingenvironment and to accommodate alarger staff complement in line with operational requirements.”
Additionally, Soyaya noted, “It is also important to note that the KwaNobuhle facility functions primarily as aMetroPolice deployment centreand not as apublicwalk-in service centre. At the time of the visit[21 May2026], operational teams would have been deployed in the field attending to law enforcement duties across various areas.”
Soyaya added, “TrafficServices operate on adifferent shift system and deployment cycle from Metro Police operations,”which may result in varying staff visibility at different times.
Alarm raised overautomotive industry decline in Metro
SHANTI JAFTA
RETRENCHMENTS at DanaSpicerAxle South Africa (DSASA) have sparked industrial action and renewed concernsover the accelerating declineofNelson Mandela Bay’s manufacturing sector,with unionsand business leaders warning of thebroader economic impact on the region.
Members of the National Union of MetalworkersofSouth Africa (NUMSA) and UASA TradeUnion in Port Elizabeth embarked on strike action on 18 May followingwhat NUMSAdescribed as failednegotiations with management over retrenchmentsimposed on workers.
According to NUMSA regional secretary Mziyanda Twani, consultations between unions and the employer continued for two months beforereaching deadlock. Twani said workers rejected the company’s retrenchment proposals, whichincluded what NUMSAdescribed as anon-negotiable gratuity paymentofR5,000, while workers had demanded R200,000 with room for negotiation He furtheralleged that the company refused to disclose audited financial statements, making it difficult for unionstonegotiate improvedVoluntaryEarly Retirement (VER) and Voluntary Separation Packages (VSP). NUMSA also claimed management limited VERand VSP options to selectedemployees with shorter service periods, while workers’ demands for leave pay and bonuses up tothe end of June 2026 were allegedlyrejected.
“The employerapproached the court late in the week for an urgent interdict and it was
grantedbythe presidingjudge,” saidTwani He added that NUMSA was consulting itslegal teamregarding possiblenext stepsand would engage workersbeforedecidingon acourse of action. “As aworker-controlled union we will pursue whatever the workers decide on regardingthe options available,” he said The retrenchments haveonce againhighlighted mounting fearsoverde-industrialisationinNelson Mandela Bay,wherethe automotive and manufacturing sectors remain central to the regional economy. According to the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Cham-
ber(NMBBC), more than 6,000 manufacturingjobs have been lost in the metro over the past18months, with the automotive components sector among the hardest hit.
NMBBC CEO Denise van Huyssteen said the region’s manufacturing sector had been facing“an economicsurvival emergency for some time”, warning that Nelson Mandela Bay had been disproportionately affected by de-industrialisation compared to the rest of the country. Manufacturing currently accounts for approximately 22% of the metro’s GDP and employs morethan40% of workers in South Africa’s automotive sector.
“The hollowing out of the eco-system surrounding automotive manufacturing is of major concern to us,” van Huyssteen said. She added that the Chamber had been lobbying local, provincial and national government stakeholders to intervene urgently in order to retain investment and protect jobs. Among the challenges identified by the Chamber are declining localisation levels, rising importsofcheaper vehicles from Asian markets, high energy costs, unreliable electricity supply, logistics inefficiencies and poor municipal service delivery. The Chamber noted that imported vehicles accounted for 67% of vehicles sold in SouthAfrica last year, placing further pressure on local manufacturers and component suppliers.
Van Huyssteen stressed the need for stable and predictable economic policies, stronger localisation measures and coordinated industrial strategies aimed at protecting South African manufacturing capacity. “The automotive sector remains one of the biggest economic drivers in Nelson MandelaBay, and any contraction across assemblers, component manufacturers or supporting industries has far-reaching implications for employment, investment confidence and economic stability in the region,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Economic Freedom Fighters has also raised concern over the retrenchments, describing them as part of abroader collapse of manufacturing employment in the Eastern Cape. The party also called for urgent government intervention to halt further job losses and support localisation in the automotive sector.
TheNMB Metro Police has allegedly alwaysbeen asatellite office,claimsthe Metro
DA MayoralCandidateRetiefOdendaal andProvincial Leader,Andrew Whitfieldatthe KwaNobuhle MetroPolice oversight.
PHOTOS: SHANTI JAFTA
‘Forgotten’Tiryvilleresidentshavetodigforwater
SHANTI JAFTA
RESIDENTS of Ward 45,Tiryvilleare alleging that they have not seentheir Ward Councillor sincetheir wateroutages began in February, let alone receivecommunication from his office regardingthe reason forthe outages.
According to aresident of Tiryville,Natasha Kirsten, the residentshave been withoutwater since February, causingthem to question whether they are prioritised and recognised as residents of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality owingto the lack of service delivery theyreceive.
Speaking to UD Express,Kirsten said residents had been forced to digholesaround an existing water leak to collect water in order to wash clothes, cleantheir homes and, in some cases,survive daily life. She said some children were takingfive-litre containers to school to fetch water for theirfamiliestouse at home.
“Wedonot have water inany of our houses.Weare digging holesjust to fetch watertocleanand wash clothes. Some of the childrenget water at school andbring it homesotheir parentscan wash school uniforms,”she said.
Kirstenadded thatthe situationposed serioushealthrisks,especially forinfants andyoung children. She alleged that children in the area had developed rashes and stomachillnesses due to poor sanitation and the lack of clean water
“We have babies drinking from bottles. You cannot use dirty waterfor that.We cannot wash ourselves with dirty water.It is not hygienic and it is not right.”
Residents further alleged that municipal water tankers rarely servicedtheir section ofTiryville, withsome claiming that fights hadbroken out at communal water pointsasdesperate residentscompeted for water.
Kirstenclaimed that the only consistent assistanceresidentshad received came from humanitarian organisationGift of the Givers, which she said occasionally delivered water to the area.
Residents also raised concernsover what they described as alack of communication andvisibility from Ward Councillor,Sabelo Mabuda.
Kirsten alleged that despite several attempts to contact him telephonically and through messages, shehad received little to no feedback regarding the ongoingoutages.“He knows about thesituation,but
Tiryville residentsunearthedanunattended leak to capturewater while waitingfor relief aftermonthsofhaving drytaps.
he does notcome here to addressus. We just want answers and communication. We are not fighting,” she said.
Another resident alleged that service deliverychallenges in the area extended beyond water outages, claiming that residents hadalso experienced prolonged electricity outages, overflowingdrainsand exposed electrical infrastructure.
“The drains are overflowing and there are exposed electrical boxesinthe streets wherechildren play. We are scared someonewill gethurt,” the resident said.
Residents further alleged that despite the prolonged lack of water,municipal officials continued reading watermeters andissuingaccounts to households. “How can they read meterswhen thereisnowater?People arestill getting municipal bills while there is no service,” another resident claimed.
Speakingto UD Express,Ward 45 Councillor SabeloMabuda attributedthe prolongedoutage to “a water pipe thatgoes underground outside that particular location,” which he saidhad been damaged
and requireda contractor to repair.
Whileinitially stating that theMember of the Mayoral Committee(MMC)responsible for water and sanitation[Buyelwa Mafaya] “did come around,” he laterclarifiedthat no visit had yetoccurred,saying, “We spoke withthe MMC. She is awaitingthe contract to be signed beforewego there.”
The councillor further confirmed that no written communication or formal records existed between himselfand municipal officials regardingthe matter, stating, “We normally don’t writethings down between me and officials. There are no emails, other than calls.”
When asked whyresidents alleged they had not seen or heardfrom him since the outages began,Mabuda said he did not want to visit the communitywithout acontractor present because, “If Idon’t haveacontractor, even if Igothere, it’s just atalkshow.”
Despiteclaimingthat residentswere aware of the cause, interviewedresidents saidthey had not received any explana-
E-waste crisis tackled in localcommunities
TONNESofold cellphones,broken appliances, and discarded electronicsare piling up in homesand landfills acrossthe Eastern Cape, and alocal recyclingcompany said theproblem is gettingworse FFC ECO-HUB, an environmentalsolutions company based in Kariega,isworking to addressthe growing e-wastechallenge by establishinganetworkofdrop-offpoints across the Kouga region and NelsonMandela BayMetro, giving residents asafeand legal way to dispose of electronicitemsthat wouldotherwise end up in landfills. Electronic waste is classified as one of the fastest-growingwaste streams globally. Items such as cellphones, laptops, televisions, fridges, microwaves, andbatteries contain hazardous substances including lead, mercury, and cadmium. When improperly dumped or burned, these materials release toxins into the soil, water,and
air, posing significant risks to both human health and thesurrounding environment.
Kenneth Mpati, spokesperson forFFC ECO-HUB, said the situation on the ground is acausefor concern. “Improper disposal of e-waste is harmful,” he said.“However, together we canmakerecycling simple, accessible,and impactful.”
The companyhas establisheddrop-off sites inJeffreys Bay, Humansdorp, and St FrancisBay in the Kouga region, as well as at KraggaKammaand Hunter’s Retreat in NelsonMandela Bay. Afurther collection point is currently operating from 7Sellick Street in Kariega, with planstorelocate to the Kariega Scienceand TechnologyCentre. Additionalrecycling receptacles are also beingintroduced in shopping centres across the region.
FFCECO-HUB operates in partnership withlocal municipalities and is affiliated
with the EPR-Waste AssociationofSouth Africa (EWASA), which oversees compliancewith national extendedproducerresponsibility regulationsgoverning the handling and recycling of electronic waste Mpati said the initiativeispartofalonger-term visionthat extends beyondwaste collection.“This is not justabout recycling,”he said.“It’sabout transforming waste into opportunity;protecting the environment, creating jobs,and building sustainable communities.”
Thecompany is also running awareness programmes in schools andcommunity organisationsacrossthe region, focusing on educating residents; particularlyyoung people, about the environmentalconsequences of improper waste disposal andthe role they canplayinbuilding amoresustainable future.
FFC ECO-HUB currently operates in the
DespatchpoliceappealforwitnessesinR75hit-and-runincident
SAPSDespatch areinvestigating acase of reckless or negligent driving and are appealing to members of the community who may have witnessedahit-and-run accident,orwho mayhaveinformation that couldassist the investigation, to come forward
According to SAPS spokespersonCaptainSandra Janse Van Rensburg,itis allegedthatonMonday, 2March 2026, at approximately19:30, aman wasas-
sisting his friend to change atyre on the R75road behind Despatch when he was struck byanunknown white VW Polo.
“The driver allegedly fled the scene in the direction of Kariegawithout stopping,”she said Janse Van Rensburg addedthat police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident and are urging anyone who may havewitnessed the accident,orwho may haveinformation
regardingthe white Volkswagen Polo involved, to contact the investigating officer Anyone with information is requested to contact D/W/O Krause on 082 441 7828 or the Despatch SAPS Detectives on 041 933 8000.
“Informationmay also be sharedanonymously throughthe SAPS Crime Stop number 086 001 0111 or via theMySAPS App,” she concluded.
tionregarding theprolonged disruption. Mabudawas also unable to provide a timeline forwhen watersupply wouldbe restored,repeatedly referring to delays in procurement processes and theappointment of acontractor. “We are working on gettingone with theMMC,” he said,adding that “the procurement process goes a different way. It’s not like Ijust ask and thingshappen.”
Communitymembers also questioned whynearbyfarmsallegedly hadaccess to waterwhiletheir taps remained dry, with some suggesting that ageing infrastructure and undersized pipesmay be contributing to thecrisis.
Residentssaid they were now calling for urgent interventionfrom themunicipality, improved communication from elected representatives and long-term infrastructure upgrades to restore reliable access to waterinthe area. The NMBM wascontacted forcomment; however, no response had been received by thetime of going to press on Wednesday.
Kougaregion,Nelson Mandela Bay, andJohannesburg, with plans to expandits footprinttoother partsofSouth Africa. Residents andbusinessesseeking more information or wishingtoarrangecollections cancontact FFC ECO-HUBon041 922 5119, 074 327 3988, or 067 566 9815.
PHOTO: SHANTI JAFTA
Wateroutagesstillpersistforsomeresidents
SHANTI JAFTA
RESIDENTSinWard 51 and other higher-lying parts of Kariegacontinue to endure intermittent water outages and prolonged periodswithout supply, as concernsmount over thecapacityofthe Kabah (Groendal)Water Treatment Works and the metro’s apparentlack of alongtermsolution.
Ward 51 councillorRoelfBasson recently confirmed that the treatment works were struggling to clarifyand treat water effectively, resulting in areduced supply to the area.
Duringarecent oversight visit to the plant alongside DA mayoral candidate Retief Odendaal,itwas allegedly established thatwhile the metro was drawing 21 megalitres from the Nooitgedacht off-take to supply the Kariega region, the Kabah plant was producing only 7megalitres per day, wellbelow itsnormal 12-megalitre capacity.
The reducedoutputhas effectivelycreated adaily shortfall of about 5megalitres, placing additionalpressure on already strained reservoirs and leaving many communitieswithout reliable supply.
Basson said the metro hadbeen attempting to stabilise the system through intermittent pumping cycles and by sourcing additional supportfrom Gqeberha.
“Asexplained by Odendaal, we discoveredthatthe KabahWater Treatment Worksare currently experiencing challenges with clarifyingand treating water. This has resulted in areduced supply to ourarea.”
He added that pumps had been restarted and were feeding directly into the reticulation system in an efforttorestore pressure to affected communities.
“The pumps are running, and we are hopefulfor asecond pumping cycle tonight so that water levels can recover further by morning,” he said
Afew days later, Basson provided afurther update, stating that the system had managed to maintain some level of supply and that pumping into the network was expected to resumeshortly
“Fortunately,the system has not been off for too long, so the area should not be excessively dry,”hesaid. “Hopefully,we can now get aquick pumping cycle going so that water can returntothe affected areas.”
Residentsinareas such as Scheepershoogte, however,claim they have been withoutwater for weeks, with little communication regarding the cause of the disruption or when supplywill be fully restored.
Concerns havealso emerged around the qualityofwater being sourced from the Groendal Dam. Allegations havecircu-
Finn’sFurry Friends: In celebration of herfurry friend’s birthday, Lesa-MareHarris is once more calling fordonations of canned petfood, dry dog and catfood, treats,blankets,wet food sachets and waterbowls foranimal shelters.Donations canbe dropped off until 24 June at DJ’s Charity Shop(Oosterland Youth CareCentre) in Despatch. Formore info, contactlesamareharris@gmail.com.
lated that elevated sediment levels in the dam arecontributing to turbidity issues at the treatment works and hampering its ability to operate at full production capacity.Inresponse to the ongoing outages, water tankers havebeen deployed to affected communities.
In astatement issued on 20 May, the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM) confirmed that high turbidity levels at the KabahWater Treatment Works (WTW) continued to affect supply to several areas, including parts of Rosedale, Mountainview, Thomas Gamble, SantaBarbara, AllenridgeWest, Lower Central, KwaLanga, GibsonStreet and Die Gaat.
Regarding the specific measurescurrently in place to make up the deficit in the amount of water coming from the Kabah WTW, the NMBM spokesperson Sithembiso Soyayasaid, “Other sources such as the Springsare notinthe above and the average operating output of Kabah is around 8Ml/d.The fluctuation is as aresult of the high turbidity of the raw water.”
Residents in the higher-lying areasof Ward51and the broaderKariegaregion havealleged acomplete lack of watersupply.
However,Soyaya claimed, “The water to the area has been re-established and as at the time of writing this [26 May2026, 11:00] there were electricity outages that
Learners celebrate AfricaMonth
hadaffectedthe pumping of water; this area hadlow supply because of the lower outputfromNooitgedachtbecause of the turbidity problematall theNMBM Water Treatment Works.”
Responding to allegationsregarding the quality of watersourced from theGroendal Dam, Soyaya said thefluctuations in supply were linkedtohighturbidity levelsinthe rawwaterenteringthe Kabah WaterTreatment Works. “The fluctuation is as aresultofthe highturbidity of the rawwaterthatistested on adaily basis, treatment chemicals adjusted,plant outputs reduced to ensure that thefinalwaterisofdrinking quality,” Soyaya said Regarding thelong-term interventions at theKabah WaterTreatment Works, Soyaya said theplantwould continue operatingatreduced levels even after turbidity hadstabilised.
“Oncethe turbidity problemhas stabilised,the Kabah will always be operated at lowerlevels,” Soyaya said He explained that turbidity decreases when waterremains in thedamsfor longerperiods andisallowedtosettle naturally.
Soyaya addedthatthe reduced operation was alsoaimed at conservingwater,as theKabah supply area cannoteasily be supplemented from alternative sources
“The loweroperation of this plant preserves the waterinthe dam,” he said
DIARY|DAGBOEK
Aurora FamilyFun Fete: Don’t miss out on thefun at theannualAuroraFamily FunFeteon30May from 09:00to15:00 at Aurora Special CareCentre, 52 Alan Drive, Walmer Downs. Food trucks, stalls, pony rides, Animals in Wonderland,KidsRock, PawPatrol &Friends,Golden JoyMime, train rides, Stretchthe Stiltwalker,bubblehouseand spin the wheel are some of the thingstolook forwardto. Formoreinfo, contact Nickyat041 368 6180 or 073193 7142.
30 Mayfrom08:00 to 13:00 at their premisesat10 Victoria Street,Kariega. Formoreinfo, contact041 9924138.
Bazaar: Rosa MunchHousewill have abazaar on
Pannekoekfees: Moenie dieNGKerkDespatch-Suid se pannekoekfeesvan 3tot 5Junie misloop nie.Hullebieddie volgende opsiesaan: skoon (R7), kaneelsuiker (R8), piesang en karamel(R25) en hoender-mayo (R25). Aflewering sal op 3Junie in KaapwegenStGeorge-hospitaal in Gqeberha
plaasvind, dan op 4Junie op Kariega by skoleen besighede,endan op 5Junie op Despatch by skole en besighede.Bestelvoor 29 Mei. Kontak Catrienby 082 7028345
Healing andDeliverance Meeting: Thenext meetingwill take placeonSaturday, 6June, in Hall 4ofthe Word of FaithChristian Centre on thecorner of William MoffettExpresswayand LillyStreet, Mangold Park, from 10:00.All arewelcome,freeofcharge.
The UitenhageLibraryhosted learnersfrom IlingePrimarySchool on 21 May to celebrate Africa Month. The learners did presentations on African countries, likeSouth Africa, Mali (left)and Egypt (right). PHOTO: SUPPLIED
