Nelson Mandela Bay Launches ‘Siyasebenza Campaign: A Metro at Work’

The initiative, which aligns with the municipality’s 100-day priority plan, aims to fast-track essential services and improve the quality of life for residents across the metro.

Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Mayor, Babalwa Lobishe, has launched an intensive service delivery resuscitation campaign, dubbed "Siyasebenza Campaign: A Metro at Work." The initiative, which aligns with the municipality’s 100-day priority plan, aims to fast-track essential services and improve the quality of life for residents across the metro.

A Call for Collaboration to Improve Service Delivery

The Siyasebenza Campaign is a community-driven initiative, urging local businesses, residents, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to work together with the municipality to enhance service delivery. The campaign focuses on immediate intervention efforts, while also developing long-term sustainable solutions to the metro's most pressing service delivery challenges.

The campaign was officially rolled out in Kariega this week, where teams were deployed to address key concerns, including: 

Illegal dumping and waste management 

Street cleaning and public space maintenance 

Grass cutting and clearing overgrown areas 

Pothole repairs and road maintenance 

Fixing streetlights and ensuring public safety 

Upgrading public spaces for community benefit

Immediate Action & Deployment of Task Teams

As part of the campaign launch, teams comprising Mayoral Committee Members (MMCs), senior officials, and municipal workers were dispatched to Kariega and Dispatch. The teams actively tackled sanitation infrastructure blockages, water leaks, flooding, electricity cable theft, and vandalism.

Mayor Lobishe personally engaged with residents in the affected areas, which were identified by ward councillors, to assess challenges first-hand. She assured communities that the municipality was actively monitoring service delivery issues and working on both immediate fixes and long-term solutions.

Focus on Flood-Affected Wards & Infrastructure Challenges

The Mayor emphasized that priority attention would be given to wards in Kariega that were severely affected by last year’s devastating floods. She reiterated the need for sustainable infrastructure upgrades to mitigate future disasters and ensure continued service delivery.

However, vandalism remains a major concern, particularly in Kariega. Mayor Lobishe condemned the deliberate destruction of public infrastructure, urging residents and law enforcement to unite in identifying and apprehending those responsible.

💬 “Vandalism of infrastructure slows down service delivery, as money meant for other community needs is diverted to fix damages caused by criminals. This not only negatively impacts our financially constrained municipality but also deprives our residents of essential services,” Lobishe stated.

Municipality Commits to Mobilizing Resources for Service Delivery

Infrastructure and Engineering Acting Executive Director, Joseph Tsatsire, reaffirmed the municipality’s dedication to accelerating service delivery efforts.

📢 "We are mobilizing resources to speed up service delivery, particularly in the areas identified under this campaign. Our teams are already on the ground, addressing issues such as sanitation, water leaks, and replacing vandalized infrastructure," Tsatsire assured.

Future Plans and Sustainable Service Delivery Goals

Beyond the immediate interventions, the Siyasebenza Campaign aims to create a sustainable service delivery model, ensuring consistent maintenance of municipal services in all communities. The municipality is also exploring: 

Innovative waste management strategies to combat illegal dumping 

Smart infrastructure solutions to detect and prevent water leaks 

Stronger law enforcement measures to curb vandalism and cable theft 

Improved public-private partnerships to enhance service efficiency

Through continued collaboration with stakeholders and the public, the campaign hopes to restore confidence in municipal governance and ensure that all metro communities receive the services they need and deserve.

The Siyasebenza Campaign is set to expand across Nelson Mandela Bay in the coming weeks, with the Mayor encouraging active community participation to achieve long-lasting results.