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Daily Maverick
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Maverick
Dead robots, dirty Ubers and high hopes — getting to the rugby on time
While Gqeberha is known as the 10-minute city, this will almost certainly not hold true for Saturday's rugby. Getting to the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on time might be tricky, to say the least. Getting to the rugby on time to see the Springboks take on Italy on Saturday might be difficult as spectators will have to navigate myriad dead traffic lights, road closures and potentially dodgy e-hailing vehicles. It has been four years since the last Springbok rugby game was hosted at the stadium, so for those who need it, a quick refresher on the rugby rules by Daron Mann can be found here. If you already know all there is to know, read Jon Cardinelli's preview of the clash. Kick-off time Kick-off time is at 5.10pm and the match ends at 7.30pm. Gqeberha-born Belinda Davids will sing the South African national anthem before the starting whistle. Gate times On Thursday, the municipality sent out a notice that several roads around Nelson Mandela Bay would be closed from 9am on Saturday and would reopen only from 11pm. According to information provided by the municipality, the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium will open its gates at 11am and close at 10pm. Robots None of the traffic lights near the stadium work. We drove from the Settlers Freeway and found that every traffic light between the arterial route and the stadium was out of order. Most traffic lights along Govan Mbeki Avenue were dead and functioned as four-way stops. Nelson Mandela Bay metro spokesperson Sithembiso Soyaya said that should the traffic lights be fixed on Friday, they would be vandalised by match day. On Thursday morning, contractors could be seen working on power lines along Gqeberha's main street; however, there was no indication whether these lines powered the traffic lights. The nearest functioning traffic lights to the stadium were at the intersection of Mount Road and Govan Mbeki Avenue, 1.5km away. However, the traffic lights on either side of the crossing were not operational. General power supply While the metro is fast becoming known for its power outages, the municipality sent out a statement saying that it had deployed the Rapid Response Task Team after a faulty electrical pole in Sydenham was identified. According to the statement, the pole 'posed a risk to the area's electricity supply'. 'In response, the Electricity and Energy Department acted promptly to repair the fault and restore stable power to the area. Their swift intervention ensured that the much-anticipated Castle Lager Incoming Series test match could proceed without disruption,' the statement said. Road closures Nelson Mandela Bay communications director Sithembiso Soyaya said the following roads would be closed on Saturday from 9am: Prince Alfred Road between Milner Avenue and Quick Street; Milner Avenue between Stebonheath Street and Sydenham Road; and Fettes Road between York Road and Stockelbach Street (stadium side) Traffic officials Forty traffic and metro police personnel will be deployed on the day, including 27 officers on point duty. The Metro Police will deploy 15 officers focused specifically on enforcing municipal by-laws and supporting crime prevention operations. In addition, a municipal tow truck will be on standby to immediately remove any illegally parked vehicles causing obstruction. 'Public safety is our top priority. We are committed to creating a safe, welcoming environment for both residents and the thousands of visitors expected in the city. Events like these boost our local economy and reinforce our reputation as a premier sporting destination,' Executive Mayor Babalwa Lobishe said. Tickets No tickets will be available at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium ticket office. Tickets are still available through the Ticketmaster website. By Thursday afternoon, there were 1,000 tickets left. Uber, or other e-hailing services Designated drop-off and pick-up zones for taxis, e-hailing services and buses will be located in North Street between Innes Street and Bagshaw Street, with the New Law Courts parking area serving as the official pick-up and drop-off point for Uber and metered taxis. Concerns have been raised, however, about the state of e-hailing vehicles in Nelson Mandela Bay. In a letter addressed to Uber, the CEO of the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber, Denise van Huyssteen, wrote: 'We have received numerous complaints from business people who have highlighted that there appears to be no quality control over the standard of Uber operators in Nelson Mandela Bay. 'In particular, it seems that there is no moderation over the quality of Uber vehicles, which are often in a poor state of repair, and not compliant with safety standards (lights not working, lack of seatbelts, dings and damage to vehicle etc). This not only reflects poorly on the image of Uber, but also that of our metro to domestic and international business visitors and tourists. Apart from the influx of rugby fans, Van Huyssteen also highlighted that the Naacam Show would be held in the Bay during the week of 11 August 2025, and SA Automotive Week would follow during the week of 29 September 2025, resulting in significantly increased use of Uber over this period by visitors who would come from around the country, and other parts of the world. She has not received a response. Neither has Daily Maverick. Daily Maverick journalist Nkosazana Ngwadla took a few Ubers from her home to the airport, the stadium and to Summerstrand. This is what she found: Uber 1: If you're going to request an Uber from around the Pinelands area, prepare for a long wait. And when you are finally connected to a driver, he might just ask where you're going before actually making his way to you. 'That's because you people who live in these apartments are too lazy to walk to the mall, now I must drive far just for a trip that is not even R30,' the driver explained. His Renault Kwid was in an acceptable state. Uber 2: When you're at the airport, you'll have many Ubers readily available for you – it's a hot spot, naturally. However, this driver was not very friendly, and his vehicle had dents and a windscreen that looked like it had taken too many of life's hard knocks. His boot, when he finally agreed to open it due to safety concerns, was filled with all kinds of personal belongings, including a 5-litre bottle with yellow liquid inside it. You decide for yourself what that might've been. This experience begs the question: given that he was picking me up from the airport, where would all my luggage go if I had any? Uber 3: Summerstrand is also an Uber hot spot, with an average two minutes' waiting time. This vehicle had a few forgiveable dents. The fuel light was on, but the driver said that it was not an issue – 'it happens all the time'. Uber 4: The final Uber was a pleasure. His driving was fine, the vehicle looked and smelled good, and the driver was very friendly and professional. He even had sweets and hand sanitiser on hand for his customers. Drunken driving and other shenanigans Metro Police Commissioner Andrew Moses said they were looking forward to an exciting weekend. 'We are ready for the engagements. We have been meeting with SA Rugby daily with regard to the safety protocols for the event. We take this event very seriously. We will be doing high preventative patrols outside the perimeter of the stadium. We will be dealing with crowds. We will also check on open fires and the illicit sale of tickets. 'We want our communities to be safe when arriving. If you are driving to the game, make sure your vehicle is in a roadworthy condition. Don't arrive drunk,' he said. 'Please do not consume alcohol and then leave the stadium. We will be out in full force. 'We do not want to arrest people for drinking and driving – but we will be there … to look after you and make sure you get home safely. We take safety very seriously. Do not do anything that will compromise the enjoyment of the game. Adhere to the by-laws of the city,' he said. DM
The Herald
07-07-2025
- Climate
- The Herald
Metro races to fix sewerage fault that shuts down Kings Beach
The Nelson Mandela Bay municipality is racing against time to repair a faulty sewerage pipe that is causing human waste to flow into stormwater drains, ultimately ending up along Kings Beach in Humewood. The beach has been closed by the metro due to the contaminated water to prevent health issues. The fault is on a 600mm sewerage pipe that runs through South End. The sewage spill has carved a 300m channel through the sand, stretching from a grassy patch — now sprouting reeds — to the shoreline, creating a murky path straight to the beach. On Monday, the spill spread across a large section of the beach parking lot, with pieces of toilet paper visible. The sewage spills have affected beach activities. The city had battled to locate the source of the leak since it was reported last week. Municipal spokesperson Sithembiso Soyaya said the source of the problem was located at the weekend. 'This task was made difficult by the presence of swampy terrain, overgrown vegetation, and dense trees in the area,' Soyaya said. 'Despite these challenges, progress has been made, and specialised equipment is being deployed to the site to speed up the work. 'The contractor will now begin clearing the dense tree coverage to enable access to the submerged sewer manholes. 'Once these are fully exposed, bypass pumping operations will begin, which will help prevent any further environmental contamination.' Soyaya said while this work was under way, teams continued to douse the affected areas to reduce E. coli levels and neutralise the unpleasant smell. A driving school instructor who operates from the parking lot, and did not want to be named said, the regular flooding affected his operations. 'In my case as a code 10 instructor, I use the lines drawn on the concrete surface where it is currently flooded, which means I have to give the lesson from inside the vehicle because I can't stand here. 'The water makes it difficult for the learner driver to see the lines, and it doesn't help that there's a bad smell, but what can we do,' he said. The PE Hobie Beach parkrun posted on Facebook that it its weekend event was cancelled because of the spill. 'Unfortunately, there is a big sewerage leak on our beach route towards the harbour wall,' the post reads. 'This used to be a trickle in the past, but has turned into a river of about six to eight metres wide. 'This is not safe for any of our participants or volunteers. Unfortunately, there is no way to divert around it at this stage. 'The matter has been reported to the municipality as it is clearly a huge infrastructure failure.' Parkrun Eastern Cape regional ambassador Dale Mortimer said they cancelled the upcoming Saturday event as well because of the leak. 'We took this decision with the anticipation that the issue will not be resolved by then, and we will reassess the situation early next week,' Mortimer said. 'For a while now this used to be a trickle of clean stormwater overflow from what we were told but I can't confirm this, what I can say is that there was no smell. 'But lately it became such a big leak with so much liquid that it put our runners' safety at risk. 'From what we understand, there's a sewage leak that gets mixed with the stormwater which is why there's so much smelly water going out to the beach.' Ward 2 councillor Sean Tappan said the sewage leak came from Allister Miller Drive, opposite the air wing base. 'That's been running for over a week now, and we've reported it every day and escalated it to the acting city manager [Ted Pillay] on Friday,' Tappan said. 'I got a photograph that there was a honey sucker there, and they were doing something. 'But every single day, on the weekend, including now this morning, that flow is still running into a stormwater drain. 'It's supposed to go out into natural areas where there's excess water and rain, but now raw sewage is mixing with the stormwater and that is why you're getting that terrible smell.' The Herald
Daily Maverick
07-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Maverick
Nersa approves lower electricity tariff increase, forcing Nelson Mandela Bay to rethink plans
The national energy regulator has granted the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality a slightly lower-than-requested electricity tariff increase, prompting the metro to revise its financial plans. Business and political leaders warn of deepening financial strain, infrastructure failures and rising costs for residents. The Nelson Mandela Bay metro said on Friday that it was taking a second look at its plans and budgets after the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) granted the metro a smaller-than-requested increase for the next financial year. The metro requested a 12.8% increase but was granted only a 12.74% hike for electricity prices. The application for the increase was already controversial. It was also done in the absence of a cost-of-supply study, which will only be undertaken in the coming year. Municipality to revise plans Metro spokesperson Sithembiso Soyaya said the municipality noted and welcomed Nersa's approval of the electricity tariff for the 2025/2026 financial year. 'While the approved tariff of 12.74% is marginally lower than the 12.80% increase the municipality initially applied for, we fully respect Nersa's regulatory mandate and the importance of striking a balance between municipal sustainability and consumer affordability. 'The municipality is mindful that even a 0.06% difference can impact projected revenues, particularly when scaled across our electricity user base. To address this shortfall, we shall be implementing a combination of efficiency measures and financial controls. These include improving internal operational efficiencies, reducing electricity losses and illegal connections, enhancing billing accuracy and strengthening revenue collection,' he said. 'We are going to reprioritise our budgets to ensure that essential electricity infrastructure maintenance and upgrades continue without compromise, while trimming or deferring non-critical expenditures.' Soyaya said the municipality would also intensify efforts to improve the collection of outstanding payments from all user categories, expanding the prepaid electricity footprint and fast-tracking components of the broader Energy Resilience Plan. 'This includes working with partners and exploring embedded generation and cost-efficient energy alternatives to reduce long-term dependency on bulk electricity purchases. 'We shall be taking proactive steps to manage the gap responsibly, and we will continue working with Nersa and our stakeholders to ensure uninterrupted, quality service to the residents of Nelson Mandela Bay,' Soyaya said. Business Chamber 'concerned' The CEO of the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber, Denise van Huyssteen, said the chamber remained deeply concerned about the sustainability of the municipality's electricity department. 'We note that Nersa has granted approval for the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality's electricity tariffs to increase by an average of 12.8%, effective from 1 July. 'Input costs, such as rising electricity tariffs, have a direct impact on the viability of the operations of businesses. For a number of years we have been deeply concerned about the unsustainability of electricity distribution in the metro, which in the current financial year lost R1.5-billion and is projected to lose R1.8-billion in the next financial year. Key drivers of these losses include electricity theft, illegal connections, meter tampering and the vandalism of infrastructure. 'Solutions which need to urgently be put in place include the reinstatement of the geyser control system, which has the potential to save the municipality up to R200-million a year,as well as deploying effective safety and security measures to prevent vandalism of sub-stations and other vital electricity infrastructure. 'The other issue of high concern is the lack of investment and maintenance in the electricity infrastructure, which is vital to ensure the continuity and reliability of electricity supply. An urgent and vital step, in addressing the infrastructure issues, is securing the technical support of Eskom through their active partnering initiative,' she said. Deal with meter tampering The Democratic Alliance's (DA) mayoral candidate for next year's local government elections, Retief Odendaal, urged the municipality to speed up the roll-out of electricity meters to deal with households that applied for amnesty under a programme that was offered in 2022. He said that after three years, 90% of the about 18,000 households or businesses that applied for amnesty have not received new meters, meaning the municipality is losing a conservative R18-million a month in fees. Ratepayers footing the bill The African Christian Democratic Party's Lance Grootboom said Nersa's tariff increase was four times the inflation rate. 'It is way out of line,' he said. Grootboom said that it is even more disconcerting that the metro's electricity department buys bulk electricity from Eskom for R6.8-billion but, because of meter tampering and illegal connections, makes only R5.4-billion, leaving it with a large deficit. He said ratepayers are paying twice for electricity, as their rates also increased by 5%, to subsidise, among other things, the electricity department's large deficit. Tough choice Speaking in Johannesburg two weeks ago, the national Minister of Electricity, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, said the rapidly rising cost of electricity is forcing households to choose between food and energy. This came after Johannesburg residents made representations last year to be excluded from an electricity surcharge to bolster the City of Johannesburg's efforts to afford its electricity bill. In November last year while testifying at Nersa's hearing into Eskom's application for a massive tariff increase, Melikhaya Blani from the Eastern Cape Combined Environmental Forum described how many households were already struggling to afford electricity and had to cook on wood. Electricity surcharge Last year the Buffalo City metro, which had similar concerns over the funding of its electricity budget, introduced a service charge to all electricity users. In a response to a question asked by Leander Kruger, the DA's constituency leader for Buffalo City, the MEC for Cooperative Governance in the Eastern Cape legislature confirmed that the service charges range from R376 to R51,484.09 depending on the type of electricity user. The introduction of service charges sparked several protests and legal action against the municipality. DM
Daily Maverick
27-06-2025
- General
- Daily Maverick
Sewage pollution, vandalism to keep Nelson Mandela Bay beach closed until summer
Six months down the line, New Brighton Beach in Nelson Mandela Bay is likely to remain closed until summer as the metro works to rectify sewage pollution and vandalism at the popular seaside facility. In December 2024, the Nelson Mandela Bay metro closed New Brighton Beach due to dangerous levels of contamination after vandalism led to a sewage spill at the nearby Fishwater Flats Sewage works. On Thursday, metro spokesperson Sithembiso Soyaya said the beach would be opened 'before the upcoming summer season'. However, he said that since the closure, beach facilities had been vandalised and the damage would be repaired only in the next financial year. 'The repairs to the Fishwater Flats Water Treatment Works are envisaged to conclude by the end of this month,' he said. Soyaya said the beach would be reopened once there were 'satisfactory results regarding levels'. According to the Auditor-General's report into municipal finances for 2023/2024, Nelson Mandela Bay was the only metro that received a regional bulk infrastructure grant, which is aimed at improving bulk water and sanitation infrastructure. The metro, however, underspent the grant by 41% due to two capital projects that were not launched because of 'implementation challenges', the report said. In its budget for the 2025/2026 financial year, the metro said: 'The Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant (RBIG) has been allocated to the municipality only for the 2025/26 financial year to the amount of R390-million. This grant was firstly allocated to the city with effect from the 2023/24 [medium term], to deal with water drought-related issues that the city has been confronted with and will, with effect from the 2026/27 financial year, be no longer made available to the City.' Cable theft Final treated effluent is released from Fishwater Flats at two points: New Brighton Beach pier and Papenkuils River canal, but the theft of electrical cables that supplied power to the plant and essential equipment interrupted the treatment process of this effluent. In turn, this led to a massive spill of raw sewage into the sea. It has been reported in municipal statements that R18.8-million has been spent to repair Fishwater Flats. In October last year, Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation Sello Seitlholo visited the facility. He said the water treatment works had 'experienced major destruction to a cost of almost R5-million; the repair is estimated to cost four times that. This has heavily impacted the work being done, which in turn impacts the quality of water being treated and discharged. 'I am fundamentally concerned about the level of vandalism and theft that is happening here. The municipality is losing a couple of million due to theft, and to replace that, it costs them four times what is lost,' he said. 'Dysfunctionality' The DA's mayoral candidate for Nelson Mandela Bay for the upcoming local government elections, Retief Odendaal, said the problem went further than Fishwater Flats. 'Wastewater treatment facilities in Nelson Mandela Bay continue to face serious challenges, exposing the complete dysfunctionality of the current ANC-led administration. Years of neglect and failure to maintain, upgrade, and protect critical sewerage infrastructure have led to persistent pollution of our waterways and coastline. 'While the municipality claims that pollution levels are now acceptable and plans to reopen the beach at the end of June, our inspection today indicates that this is highly unlikely,' he said. The municipality did, however, indicate on Thursday that it would open the beach only 'before summer.' 'I have now written to the Minister of Water and Sanitation, Pemmy Majodina, urging her department to intervene directly in Nelson Mandela Bay and assist in bringing all wastewater treatment works up to the required standards,' Odendaal said. Among the findings made against the municipality by the Auditor-General was that none of the wastewater treatment facilities has valid licences. 'Given the municipality's track record of failing to provide transparent and reliable water quality data, we have called on the minister's department to conduct its independent water quality testing at New Brighton Beach,' Odendaal said. The municipality doesn't make water quality results public unless it receives a Promotion of Access to Information Act application. 'Dangerous contamination' In March this year, ASC Consultants published an independent report showing that between November and December last year, the sea at New Brighton Beach was dangerously contaminated. According to the report, its results showed 'high contamination levels [that] posed significant health risks to beachgoers'. This was on 2 November. Two weeks later, the numbers had come down, but were still high. In December, contamination shot up again. Analysts compiling the report for ASC warned that sewage pollution was now 'posing severe health risks to swimmers and require[s] immediate remedial action.' A test after the beach was closed showed record-high contamination levels. Analysts issued another warning: 'This beach exhibited alarmingly high levels of contamination in the third trial… These figures exceed the Blue Flag standards by 40 and 92 times, respectively. Such extreme contamination levels suggest a direct influx of untreated sewage, likely exacerbated by an ageing infrastructure and stormwater runoff. 'The health risks here are severe, rendering the beach unsafe for recreational use. Community members who use this beach for spiritual purposes, as observed during one of the visits when samples were collected, are at significant risk of exposure to waterborne pathogens,' the report concluded. Odendaal said the DA would do its own sampling. 'The problems are not limited to Fishwater Flats. Sewage spills, failing stormwater drains and dysfunctional wastewater facilities are widespread across the city. The municipality bears primary responsibility for this persistent pollution, and the people of Nelson Mandela Bay have a right to expect transparent reporting and urgent action,' he said. DM
