As President Cyril Ramaphosa returns to Nelson Mandela Bay on Tuesday, the city he once condemned as filthy continues to crumble under the weight of neglect, poor governance and rising crime.
Water shortages, power cuts, sewage spills and crumbling roads are now part of daily life.
Residents are forced to queue for water from tankers, dodge gaping potholes and live with the stench of untreated sewage flowing past their homes.
In the city, leaks go unfixed for weeks and vandalised street lights are not repaired — sometimes for years.
Criminals strip copper cables and vandalise substations with impunity.
Traffic lights do not work, refuse collection is erratic and law enforcement is overwhelmed.
Ramaphosa will conduct an oversight visit of the Port of Ngqura and is expected to get a briefing from Eastern Cape premier Oscar Mabuyane.
In 2023, Transnet was forced to ramp up its security systems after a report by the United Nations flagged the Port of Ngqura, alongside the Durban Port, as hubs for drug trafficking and the peddling of illicit goods.
Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, said the national and provincial executives would discuss various approaches to improving service delivery at a local government level.
“This visit will be the fifth engagement between the national executive and provincial governments after recent interactions between the president and the provincial governments of Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and Gauteng.”
Ramaphosa will visit a city where the municipality lost 48.66% of its non-revenue water in the 2023/2024 financial year, an increase from the previous financial year.
The city recorded R1.17bn of electricity losses during the same period.
It also regressed in its auditor-general findings and received a qualified audit for 2023/2024.
Meanwhile, the city has become known as the murder capital of SA, with kidnappings on the rise.
Since the start of 2025, at least nine known kidnappings have been reported in the city.
In the province, murder remains a major concern, with an average of 14 people killed every day.
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The Bay recorded the highest number of murders and kidnappings in the province.
The Kwazakhele, New Brighton, KwaNobuhle and Motherwell police stations had the most murder cases in the Eastern Cape.
While on the campaign trail in the run-up to the 2021 local government elections, Ramaphosa called on the ANC to gain control so that there could be more development.
At the time, he said: “This place is filthy. There are dumping sites all over. It’s not the beautiful place it was when the ANC was in power.”
The metro was governed by the DA, COPE, ACDP, UDM and the United Front.
Now, the metro is governed by an ANC-led coalition with the PAC, AIM, EFF, AIC, NA and DOP.
However, not much has changed.
The metro has had four mayors since the elections, with a revolving door of acting city managers after the suspension of Noxolo Nqwazi in 2024.
Councillors and residents are not happy with the level and pace of service delivery.
Ward 13 councillor Ingrid van Wyk said there was a high crime rate in the area and a lack of basic service delivery.
“Street lights have not been attended to in almost a year or more,” Van Wyk said.
“We did receive a bit of assistance two weeks ago with the main streets; however, that was the end of the assistance.
“Tree trimming has been non-existent and criminal elements use this to hide and attack residents.”
Ward 55 councillor Thanduxolo Doda said there were sewage spillages all over his ward, along with persistent power outages and a lack of street lights.
“We were without electricity for more than nine days but power was restored,” Doda said.
“Drains are overflowing and it is because our pumps were not working for close to two weeks.
“Illegal dumping is all over.
“I see a slight difference with crime now because there are additional police deployed, and we are seeing roadblocks and raids in Motherwell.”
Ward 46 councillor Ntobeko Nqakula said his ward, in KwaNobuhle, was one of the oldest in the area, adding that its infrastructure had not been upgraded to cater for the growing population.
“There are sewage spills, electricity outages and water outages in almost every street.
“The road infrastructure is deteriorating at a fast rate and the municipality is also moving slowly in repairing the Matanzima Bridge.”
Ward 1 councillor Dries van der Westhuyzen said his challenges were potholes, street lights, refuse, sewage, water leaks and water meter replacements.
“Everything moves slowly, if it happens at all,” Van der Westhuyzen said.
“We haven’t got a contract for our public parks.
“In my ward-based budget for next year there is nothing. Not a single cent. Where is the money going to?
“The beachfront is crumbling.”
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Ward 19 councillor Gamalihleli Maqula said the major concern in his area was the issue of stormwater drains that collapsed during the floods in 2024.
“The blocked drains led to floods last year and after the floods the drains just collapsed, so if we were to get heavy rains again flooding is guaranteed,” Maqula said.
“The problem preventing the municipality from repairing the drains is the non-appointment of contractors.
“I want people to know if there is more flooding it is the fault of officials. They must take their frustrations directly to them.”
Meanwhile, Schauderville resident Deidé Giraud, 45, said what was once a friendly and peaceful city had become a crime hotspot.
“The sense of safety and security we used to enjoy is quickly disappearing,” Giraud said.
“We are no longer safe in our own homes, in our places of worship or even when sending our children to school.
“Criminal activities are on the rise and it feels as though things are getting worse by the day.
“People are living in fear, constantly looking over their shoulders, unsure of what might happen next.
“Promises are made but nothing ever seems to improve.
“Roads are falling apart, rubbish is piling up and essential services are unreliable.
“It’s truly disheartening to see our city in this state.”
Overbaakens resident Lwando Joko Sipeliti, 30, said living in Gqeberha felt like a mix of resilience and frustration.
“As a citizen, the rising crime rate and poor service delivery — from inconsistent water supply to deteriorating infrastructure — deeply affect daily life,” Sipeliti said.
“Load-shedding, potholes and non-functional traffic lights add to the sense of being neglected by local authorities.
“Yet, there is still a strong sense of community and pride living in this beautiful city that is rich in culture and has the calming nature of our shoreline but one feels disheartened by the lack of change.”
Walmer resident Calvin Volschenk, 22, said there was a spike in crime in Walmer and Summerstrand.
“I feel like a lot of the times our criminals like to copy what everyone else is doing, and now the new thing is kidnappings,” Volschenk said.
“It would be amazing if our government could get street officers just like there are in Cape Town to ensure that the safety in and around the town is kept at a high standard.”
Katlego Nthako, 39, of Motherwell, said there were constant power outages.
“On top of that, the roads are in terrible condition, making it hard to get around safely.
“Right now, we are also struggling to get water.
“There is only one working tap, and it’s very far from where we live.
“Every day we have to walk a long way just to get clean water.
“Another big problem is crime.” — Additional reporting by Andisa Bonani
The Herald
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