Mayor must explain why promise of a well-run city is unattainable

Lofty promises but a dismal reality. That is the only way to describe the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality’s recently reinforced service delivery charter that sets ambitious targets for our city.

Imagine minor water leaks being fixed within 10 days, blocked drains cleared in 24 hours, potholes filled in five days and street lights repaired in 21 days.

On paper, these goals promise a well-run city.

In reality, the commitments remain an unattainable ideal for a municipality that just chugs along.

First adopted in 2022 in council and reinforced in January by acting city manager Sizwe Mvunelwa, the charter is meant to establish clear service standards.

But the municipality has already admitted that meeting these targets is nearly impossible and plans to review the document. 

But why should it be impossible? The metro employs 5,649 staff, excluding contract workers and political appointees.

That is a large workforce for a city that more than one-million people call home.

Frustrated and disheartened, ward councillors grapple daily with a backlog of unresolved service delivery issues.

The most persistent grievances often involve minor problems left unattended for months — vandalised street poles, water leaks, temporary electricity connections, overgrown grass, neglected tree-trimming and illegal dumpsites.

Despite this, mayor Babalwa Lobishe herself acknowledges that the charter makes unrealistic commitments and that it needs to be reviewed.

The envisaged review is meant to be completed by mid-2025.

But why were these commitments that the municipality was never equipped to uphold made in the first place?

The city’s failure to make the charter public is also concerning. 

Residents deserve to know what level of services they can expect.

Challenges in meeting service delivery commitments are said to stem from a staff shortage, lack of specialised vehicles, outdated equipment and logistical issues.

But the metro has been aware of these issues for years. The same problems are reported in this newspaper daily.

Rather than issuing directives or reviewing documents, our city’s leadership should focus on fixing the core problems.

Anything less is just not good enough. 

The Herald