Surrounded by Incompetence

Nelson Mandela Bay has had it’s fair share of woes and Municipal Managers since 2000.

The Democratic Alliance intends laying criminal charges against 10 municipal managers from nine municipalities over repeated failures in financial management and accountability and the TOP TWO are from municipalities adjacent to ours:

1. Makana Local Municipality (Eastern Cape): Mr. Pumelelo Maxwell Kate

• Appointed: 1 November 2022.
• The Record: Seven consecutive disclaimed audits.

2. Sundays River Valley Local Municipality (Eastern Cape): Mr. Thabiso Klaas

• Appointed: 1 January 2023.
• The Record: Seven consecutive years of disclaimer audits.

Do you get the creeping feeling of impending doom yet?

See the full list here: https://myza.co.za/criminal-charges-to-be-laid-against-failing-municipal-managers/

The Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality was established on 5 December 2000, following the amalgamation of Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha), Uitenhage (Kariega), Despatch, and surrounding local administration areas.

Since its formation, the position of Municipal Manager (often referred to as the City Manager) has experienced frequent changes, regular suspensions, and a succession of acting appointments. Below is a historical overview of the permanent and notable municipal managers who have headed the administration from 2000 to the present:

Permanent and Appointed Municipal Managers

Dr. Lindiwe Msengana-Ndlela (Appointed March 2013 – Resigned May 2013): Appointed to bring administrative stability, her tenure was cut short after she resigned due to severe political interference. She later successfully sued the municipality for breach of contract.

Johann Mettler (Appointed 2016 – Suspended September 2018): Initially deployed by the national government to assist with a municipal turnaround, Mettler was permanently appointed as City Manager under the DA-led coalition. He was suspended in 2018 amid intense political infighting.

Dr. Noxolo Nqwazi (Suspended / Facing legal challenges): Appointed as the permanent City Manager, Nqwazi later faced legal suspension and commercial crime court proceedings relating to tender and corruption charges, leading to a protracted leadership standoff and an extensive rotation of acting managers.

Graham Richards (Tenure in the mid-2000s): Served as municipal manager during the mid-2000s before leaving following disciplinary disputes and settlement agreements.

Frequent Acting Municipal Managers:

Due to recurring political instability, changes in coalition governments, and suspensions of permanent heads, the metro has relied heavily on a continuous line of acting municipal managers (with over a dozen acting appointments recorded in recent years alone).

Notable individuals who have stepped into the acting role include:

Ted Pillay (Served multiple acting stints, including leading up to late 2025)

Lonwabo Ngoqo (Appointed as acting city manager in late 2025)

Elias Ntoba (Served during historical transition and stability interventions)

We are reaping the consequences of not having a stable hand on the municipality and it’s finances.