The Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber has raised alarm over the ongoing electricity outage that is crippling businesses in the Beachfront and Walmer areas, describing the situation as a full-blown crisis that is rapidly eroding business confidence and affecting economic stability in the metro.
“The Chamber is highly concerned that it will take three weeks to fix the third protracted power outage, which has occurred in the metro since the start of the year. The beachfront and Walmer areas have, in particular, carried the brunt of these severe infrastructure failures, which could have been prevented if proactive, adequate and routine maintenance work had been undertaken on the electricity infrastructure,” says Denise van Huyssteen, Chief Executive Officer.
Businesses across the affected areas, particularly in the hospitality and tourism sectors, are reeling under the weight of the prolonged power disruption. Hotels, restaurants and tourism operators have been forced to rely almost entirely on generators for weeks on end, incurring unsustainable fuel and maintenance costs.
“Generators are designed as short-term emergency measures, not as a substitute for continuous electricity supply over weeks. The financial burden alone is staggering, but beyond that, there are serious operational and safety concerns associated with running these systems for such extended periods,” adds Van Huyssteen.
The Chamber has stressed that this outage was preventable, pointing to the urgent need for proactive infrastructure maintenance and improved contingency planning. The recent incidents, driven by the collapse of pylons, have once again exposed the fragility of the metro’s electricity network and the severe consequences of not undertaking proactive maintenance of the electricity infrastructure. “It is simply unacceptable that businesses must endure a three-week outage with no swift resolution in sight. The current pace of repair is wholly inadequate given the scale of the impact.”
“Over time, we have raised repeated concerns about the neglect of critical infrastructure and the consequences we are now witnessing. This situation could and should have been avoided through proper maintenance and forward planning,” says Van Huyssteen.
The prolonged outage is now placing the viability of key sectors at risk, particularly hospitality, which cannot indefinitely absorb the escalating cost of doing business under these conditions. Beyond immediate operational strain, the outages are also threatening the sustainability of businesses and their ability to retain jobs in a metro already grappling with an unacceptably high official unemployment rate of 27.1%.
“Margins in this sector are already under pressure. Expecting businesses to shoulder these extraordinary costs without relief is unrealistic and deeply damaging. At stake here are not just businesses, but livelihoods and our broader tourism industry.”
The economic consequences extend far beyond individual enterprises and make it difficult to retain and attract major international events such as the Ironman and the World Lifesaving Championships, both of which will bring significant tourism revenue and global visibility to Nelson Mandela Bay.
Furthermore, the airport which is a key entry and exit node in the metro, and which is listed as a “national key point”, has also been impacted by this outage.
“These ongoing infrastructure shortcomings damage the metro’s overall reputation as an investment and tourist destination. The reality is that investors will place their investments in low-risk locations which offer reliable energy, water and sanitation infrastructure.”
The Chamber has also highlighted the human impact of the crisis, particularly on vulnerable groups such as residents in old age homes and care facilities, who are now exposed to heightened risk.
“This situation is not only economically damaging, it is socially irresponsible as vulnerable members of our community are being placed in harm’s way.”
The Chamber further emphasised that it has not stood idle in the face of these challenges. Through a multi-stakeholder technical task team, the Chamber and its members have continued to offer support to stabilise the electricity network. To date, 23 substations have been adopted by business to help prevent vandalism and infrastructure degradation, while ongoing engagements have included calls for technical support to be provided through Eskom’s Active Partnering initiative.
“We remain committed to being part of the solution, but this crisis requires decisive leadership and immediate action from the relevant authorities.”
“Nelson Mandela Bay is the most fixable metro in the country and it is possible, to quickly turn the situation around. As a business community, we remain willing to collaborate with the stakeholders to urgently resolve these electricity, water and sanitation infrastructure issues, so as to save much needed investment and employment in the metro.”
Comment on the state of electricity in Nelson Mandela Bay here: https://mynmb.co.za/forum/community/main-forum/
