LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS 2026: Lungisa says he’s ready for the Nelson Mandela Bay mayoral chain
Andile Lungisa says he is ready for the Nelson Mandela Bay mayoral seat and is preparing to take drastic decisions on the Coega Development Corporation, as he fights his removal from the ANC PR list in Nelson Mandela Bay.
Andile Lungisa, the ANC NEC member, is confident about taking over as the mayor of Nelson Mandela Bay after the upcoming local government elections. Lungisa plans to take drastic measures in managing the Coega Development Corporation (CDC), a R24-billion institution. He wants Coega to report directly to Nelson Mandela Bay metro, instead of the Eastern Cape provincial government, as it currently does.
Lungisa claims that ANC provincial leaders in the Eastern Cape have been heavily involved in the Coega’s affairs, which he thinks has hindered the entity's initial mandate of industrialization. He promises to restore Coega's focus on industrialization immediately after taking the mayoral seat. Lungisa further promised that the municipality would expropriate dilapidated and unused buildings in ward 5 for revitalizing the Central Business Area.
Regarding SMMEs, Lungisa plans to expropriate unused buildings and refurbish them to boost the business environment. He also stated that he would ensure the construction of mixed-use housing around Baywest Mall and that SMMEs would be involved in cleaning up townships and other neglected areas. Lungisa believes that the only way to turn things around in the metro is for the ANC to win the majority in the upcoming local government elections.
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