Letter

Statement by Retief Odendaal MPL – DA NMB Mayoral Candidate: The Democratic Alliance has increased our reward for the safe return of the more than 200-year-old bell, which was stolen from the market square in front of Bethelsdorp Congregational Church, to R20 000. See: Bethelsdorp Church Bell Stolen We initially offered a reward of R2,500, …

Statement by Retief Odendaal MPL – DA NMB Mayoral Candidate: Prolonged water and electricity outages, overflowing sewage, pothole-riddled roads, filthy and unsafe dark neighbourhoods, and a lack of infrastructure investment have, under ANC/EFF-led governments, become the lived reality of residents in Nelson Mandela Bay’s Northern Areas. When the DA takes office after the elections on …

Statement by Hattingh Bornman – DA Kouga Mayoral Candidate: R24 million battery investment strengthens Kouga’s electricity network Project tackles costly peak-demand penalties and protects essential infrastructure DA-led innovation creates a stronger platform for investment, jobs and growth The DA-led Kouga Municipality is investing in a future where electricity infrastructure supports growing communities, attracts investment, and …

The following speech was delivered by Geordin Hill-Lewis, Leader of the Democratic Alliance, at the fourth stop of the “Working For All Tour” in Nelson Mandela Bay: Molweni, Nelson Mandela Bay! Good afternoon, Gqeberha! It is wonderful to be back in this beautiful city. And thank you to every person who has come here today …

Statement by Bax Nodada MP – DASO West Constituency Leader: The Democratic Alliance will be writing to the management of Nelson Mandela University (NMU) to request that it acts against students who took part in Friday’s disruption on the South Campus in Gqeberha. These agitators are members of SASCO, the EFF and ActionSA and tried …

Statement by Dr Vicky Knoetze MPL – DA Shadow MEC for COGTA: The Democratic Alliance will request that the Eastern Cape Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs convene a joint briefing by COGTA and Provincial Treasury on the spending of disaster relief and recovery funding across the province. The departments must present …

Statement by Retief Odendaal MPL – DA NMB Mayoral Candidate: St George’s Park in Gqeberha can be revitalised to become a “Central Park for Nelson Mandela Bay” and transformed into a landmark green space that serves as a recreational facility, cultural hub, tourist attraction, and gathering place for the whole city. The park should be …

Below is a speech extract from the True State of Metro Address delivered by DA NMB Mayoral Candidate Retief Odendaal MPL: Over the last 18 months, I have spent much of my time experiencing the day-to-day realities of residents across our diverse city. Together with the DA team, I have criss-crossed the metro, engaged residents …

Statement by Dr Malcolm Figg MPL – DA EC Shadow MEC for Public Works and Infrastructure: The Democratic Alliance will write to the Chairperson of the Eastern Cape Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Public Works and Infrastructure, requesting that all five procurement matters now under investigation by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) be placed under active …

Editor: I stand by my contention that we should have elections every year – maybe then we will get our City sorted by eager wanna be Councillors! Statement by Andrew Whitfield MPL – DA EC Provincial Leader: The DA has launched our Blue Blitz Clean-Up Campaign in the Northern Areas of Nelson Mandela Bay as …

Statement by Jane Cowley MPL – DA Shadow MEC for Health: Patients in Humansdorp stranded after the Patient Transfer Vehicle meant to take them to Gqeberha broke down. The only other PTV servicing the area had been grounded for maintenance, leaving vulnerable patients without reliable access to specialist healthcare. Additional ambulances in Buffalo City today …

Statement by Dr Vicky Knoetze MPL – DA Shadow MEC for Community Safety: Eastern Cape has the highest murder and rape ratios in South Africa, with 1,047 murders and 1,476 rapes recorded in just three months. Nelson Mandela Bay’s Flying Squad reportedly has no operational vehicles, while the East London Flying Squad currently has just …

Editor: Despite the incorrect manner in which the municipality actioned the increase which was turned over by the DA court action, I am still struggling with this: “If your ancient father who is impossible to underestimate has a negative bank balance why would you reduce the amount of money you contribute to his well being?” …

Statement by Dr Vicky Knoetze MPL – DA Shadow MEC for Community Safety: As Women’s Month draws to a close, the latest crime statistics expose the brutal reality facing women in the Eastern Cape. This province remains the most dangerous place in South Africa for women, who are more likely to be raped here than …

Statement by Andrew Whitfield MPL – DA Eastern Cape Provincial Leader: It gives the Democratic Alliance great pleasure to announce our 60 Nelson Mandela Bay ward councillor candidates for the upcoming Local Government Elections. The DA has announced a candidate in every ward in NMB for the elections on 4 November 2026. We are campaigning …

Statement by Retief Odendaal MPL – DA NMB Mayoral Candidate: Residents are set for a [possible] major reprieve in electricity costs after the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality submitted its amended electricity tariff proposals to the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA). This follows the Democratic Alliance’s Gqeberha High Court victory earlier this month over …

Statement by Jane Cowley MPL – DA Shadow MEC for Health: The Eastern Cape Department of Health says just 139 of its approximately 350 ambulances are operational. Of the 211 grounded ambulances, 167 have been out of service for more than a month. The Department’s latest figures are significantly worse than those previously provided to …

It is unacceptable that the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro is attempting to write off approximately R23 billion in unauthorised, irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure (UIFWE) without a proper investigation. The amount was racked up between 2009 and 2021. The Municipal Public Accounts Committee (MPAC) recently voted in favour of recommending the write-off, despite serious concerns …

Statement by Cllr Gert Engelbrecht – DA NMB MPAC Spokesperson: The Democratic Alliance has written to the Auditor-General (AG) and National Treasury to request urgent intervention in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality’s plan to write off billions in Unauthorised, Irregular, Fruitless and Wasteful Expenditure (UIFWE). From 2009 to 2021, the Municipality lost R23 billion to …

Statement by Dr Vicky Knoetze MPL – DA Chief Whip in Eastern Cape Legislature: The Eastern Cape cannot afford a government that destroys jobs with one hand while claiming to create them with on the other. Official unemployment in the province has surged to 47.5%, the highest in South Africa, while the Eastern Cape has …

Statement by Retief Odendaal MPL – DA NMB Mayoral Candidate: The consequences of Nelson Mandela Bay implementing its highest basket of tariff increases in eight years, while simultaneously reducing its basket of free services, are devastating for the poor. Today, residents joined us in Gqeberha as we marched from Nelson Mandela Peace Park to the …

By Andrew Whitfield MPL – DA Leader of the Official Opposition in the Eastern Cape Legislature: The latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey, released today, exposes the depth of the Eastern Cape’s economic crisis. Official unemployment rose from 44.6% to 47.5% in the second quarter of 2026, the highest rate in the country. Year on year, …

Statement by Dr Vicky Knoetze MPL – DA Kouga Constituency Leader: The Democratic Alliance-governed Kouga Local Municipality has once again been recognised as one of the best municipalities in the country, achieving an impressive score of 82.5 out of 100 in the FW de Klerk Foundation’s Local Government Report Card 2026. This places it sixth …

Statement by Andrew Whitfield MPL – DA Eastern Cape Provincial Leader: The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Eastern Cape is deeply saddened by the passing of UDM MPL, Mkululi Mcotsho. On behalf of the DA, I extend our sincere condolences to Mcotsho’s family, friends, colleagues in the UDM, and all those who knew and worked …

Statement by Andrew Whitfield MPL – DA EC Provincial Leader: The Democratic Alliance will be heading back to the Gqeberha High Court, this time to tackle ANC corruption, in the Nelson Mandela Bay Transformer Leasing scandal. The transformer, which is a strategic municipal asset worth R25 million was unlawfully leased out to Coega Steels. This …

Statement by Marlene Ewers MPL – DA Shadow MEC for Social Development: Somewhere in the Eastern Cape, a mother is trying to make the last food in her home stretch for another day. A child is going to bed hungry, waking without energy, and returning to a home where there may still be no nutritious …

Statement by Retief Odendaal MPL – DA NMB Mayoral Candidate: High Court orders NMB Municipality to reinstate Inclining Block Tariff for domestic electricity customers. We set out to interdict what we deemed to be unlawful electricity hikes as a result of fundamentally flawed public participation processes. The DA exposed this abuse of power, challenged it, …

Statement by Andrew Whitfield MPL – DA Leader of the Official Opposition in the Eastern Cape Legislature: 981,943 people are estimated to have moved from the Eastern Cape to other provinces between 2016 and 2026. Economic decline drives skilled residents away, and the resulting loss of skills further weakens the economy. The DA will table …