UNCOOPERATIVE GOVERNANCE: Coalition partners snub NMB mayor’s State of the Metro Address
Nelson Mandela Bay Mayor Babalwa Lobishe’s State of the Metro Address – delivered at a gala dinner estimated to have cost ratepayers R235,000 – was boycotted not only by opposition parties but by several of her coalition partners, as the metro battles water, electricity and financial crises weeks before residents go to the polls.
Mayor Babalwa Lobishe of Nelson Mandela Bay delivered her State of the Metro Address at a gala dinner, reportedly costing ratepayers R235,000. The event was boycotted by opposition parties and some coalition partners, citing unresolved service delivery issues and financial crises. Residents in parts of the metro face raw sewage spills, water shortages, and power outages, while infrastructure failures have left suburbs without water for days or weeks.
The municipality has experienced three government changes since 2021, leading to instability and deteriorating service delivery. The National Treasury is also concerned about the municipality's inability to spend allocated grant funds effectively. Mayor Lobishe acknowledged both progress and challenges under her administration, while critics argue that the extravagant event sends the wrong message to struggling residents.
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