Nelson Mandela Bay Appoints New Acting Senior Managers to Boost Service Delivery

In a press release, the Executive Mayor of Nelson Mandela Bay, Babalwa Lobishe, expressed her support and confidence in the new appointments.

Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has made significant strides towards improving service delivery and administrative efficiency with the recent appointment of two senior officials to act in key positions for the next six months. The appointments, made by the MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Zolile Williams, are aimed at enhancing the municipality's governance and operational capacity, which has been under pressure due to various challenges, including flood-related infrastructure damage in Kariega and surrounding areas.

In a press release, the Executive Mayor of Nelson Mandela Bay, Babalwa Lobishe, expressed her support and confidence in the new appointments. “We welcome these appointments, and we are committed to hitting the ground running,” said Lobishe. “Our focus will remain on fast-tracking service delivery, prioritising flood-related infrastructure interventions in Kariega and other affected areas.”

The senior managers, Ted Pillay and Lonwabo Ngoqo, were appointed to act as the Acting City Manager and Acting Chief Operating Officer (COO), respectively. Their new roles, which commenced on 1 April 2025, are expected to play a pivotal role in the municipality’s ongoing efforts to stabilize and improve service delivery. The decision to appoint these officials follows a formal request by the municipality's council, which approached COGTA for a Section 154 intervention to bolster the administrative and governance framework in the municipality.

Section 154 of the South African Constitution mandates the national and provincial governments to provide support to municipalities to ensure they have the necessary resources, skills, and capacity to carry out their functions effectively. The intervention in Nelson Mandela Bay comes at a crucial time when the municipality is grappling with various service delivery challenges, including infrastructure development and flood damage repairs.

Mayor Lobishe expressed gratitude towards MEC Williams for the quick response to the municipality’s request. “We are thankful to MEC Williams for the intervention. We are looking forward to collaborating with Ted Pillay and Lonwabo Ngoqo, who bring with them a wealth of experience in managing municipal affairs,” said the mayor during a recent press briefing.

These new acting appointments are seen as a step towards addressing the pressing issues of governance, infrastructure, and service delivery that have affected the city in recent years. The appointments will also have a significant impact on the municipality's ability to respond to the urgent needs of communities, especially in flood-ravaged areas like Kariega. The municipality is currently prioritizing infrastructure repairs and other flood-related interventions to restore normalcy in these communities.

In addition to the new appointments, Mayor Lobishe provided an update on the status of the current City Manager, Dr. Noxolo Nqwazi, who has been on suspension since earlier this year. The mayor confirmed that negotiations are ongoing regarding the terms of Dr. Nqwazi’s contract termination, and the matter is expected to be resolved within the next six months.

While the municipality has taken steps to address administrative and leadership challenges, the role of the new acting senior managers is crucial in ensuring that the city’s day-to-day operations continue smoothly. Both Ted Pillay and Lonwabo Ngoqo bring years of experience and expertise to their roles, which are expected to support the municipality’s efforts to provide efficient services to its residents.

The acting appointments of Pillay and Ngoqo come at a time when Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality is in urgent need of strong leadership and decisive action to tackle ongoing challenges related to service delivery and infrastructure development. The municipality’s council and the executive mayor have expressed their commitment to working closely with the new team to turn the tide on these issues and ensure that residents benefit from much-needed improvements in services and governance.

As the municipality embarks on this new chapter with these acting senior managers in place, all eyes will be on the leadership team’s ability to meet the pressing demands of the city’s residents and create a more effective and responsive local government.