LOCAL ELECTIONS 2026: Thirteen mayoral candidates, plenty of blame and a crowd of fed-up residents

With the local government elections just days away, Nelson Mandela Bay’s mayoral candidates grappled with a simple question at Daily Maverick’s The Bay’s Big Election Debate on Thursday: how would they fix an administration that cannot even fill its most senior posts?The answers were less simple. Candidates from parties that have shared power in successive coalitions traded accusations over who was responsible for the vacancies, why appointments had stalled and how political interference had undermined the municipality. But there was little agreement on how to break the cycle.The incoming council will inherit eight vacant executive director posts, alongside hundreds of vacancies elsewhere in the administration. The city manager’s office has also lurched from one acting appointment to another since Noxolo Nqwazi was suspended in October 2023, with no lasting resolution to the leadership crisis.For residents in the room, the consequences of that instability are already far too familiar — unreliable services, neglected communities and a municipality that too often seemed unable to work with the people trying to help it.And they were fed up.FrustrationsCommunity leaders and representatives of civic and business organisations from across the metro gathered at the Roof Garden Bar in Central, Gqeberha, on 29 October to air their frustrations with the outgoing council and demand answers from those hoping to lead the next one.A total of 13 mayoral candidates or their representatives contesting the upcoming local government elections were invited to discuss governance and service delivery in Nelson Mandela Bay.The party representatives were asked to respond to three questions:What would they change in the electricity department’s planning, procurement and staffing to address electricity losses caused by ageing infrastructure?What measurable commitments would they make to stabilise governance, upgrade infrastructure and grow the local economy?How would they attract and retain competent professionals, and what would they do to change the metro’s management culture?Nelson Mandela Bay residents converged at the Roof Garden Bar to air their experiences relating to service delivery failures and what political parties in the metro had to offer should they win seats in council during the 4 November 2026 local government elections. (Photo: Deon Ferreira) While some candidates addressed the questions directly, many fell back on their party manifestos, often failing to answer the specific issues raised.The blame game begins A blame game ensued when the party representatives responded to the question of how they would fill the hundreds of vacant funded posts to end the acting and secondment culture and stabilise the administration.EFF representative Khanya Ngqisha, the metro’s MMC (Member of the Mayoral Committee) for Budget and Treasury, was the first to distance his party from the failure to appoint executive directors, blaming what he called “leadership” failures.But the EFF is part of the ANC-led governing coalition, and Ngqisha himself serves in the mayoral committee. His attempt to place responsibility elsewhere raised an obvious question: who, exactly, was he holding accountable if not the coalition of which his party is part?“Executive directors are appointed by council and I can tell you now there’s been plenty of times where we’ve brought items to council to appoint a permanent executive director, particularly for the infrastructure and engineering directorate, and it was turned back because the centre is not holding. Hence, I was reiterating the need for decisive leadership that needs to take over the chain,” he said.Ngqisha also alleged that current Mayor Babalwa Lobishe was interfering in the process of appointing a chief financial officer by stopping the scheduled interviews because she wanted a representative from the National Treasury to be present during the process. Ngqisha also wrote to acting city manager Lonwabo Ngoqo and Lobishe, raising the issue.The Herald recently reported on the issue, referring to a 14 October letter written by Lobishe, where she proposed the postponement of the recruitment process. ACDP mayoral candidate Lance Grootboom said the electricity and energy directorate had about 500 vacant posts, some of which had become unfunded.“We don’t have [skilled] technicians any more. We have to ensure we get people who can do the work back to the municipality. If there’s no executive director in that position, then we will have problems. We need a director that is not scared to hold people accountable.”Grootboom was previously the MMC for electricity and knows what the problems are. However, simply appointing a competent director will not solve endemic issues. Former executive director Tholi Biyela, whom many in the municipality regarded as highly competent, resigned after continuously butting heads with his subordinates, who are members of the SA Municipal Workers Union, resulting in a labour strike. He also faced threats to his life due to decisions he took in a bid to get the department functional again.‘No self-respecting person will come to the metro without a stable government’Democratic Alliance mayoral candidate Retief Odendaal said he had already started talking to individuals in both the public and private sector to assist the metro in headhunting an incumbent for the CFO post, so there was a pool of professionals to choose from.“But here’s the thing: no self-respecting person will come to this city unless there’s a stable government. We need to protect the professionals we find because we’ve seen the brain drain when there’s a change of government because of political interference. We need to capacitate internal audit, which has been decimated, for us to root out corruption.Odendaal's proposal to head-hunt professionals appears sound, but raises the question of whether those candidates would be willing to take up positions if the DA did not lead the next administration.People’s Power mayoral candidate Siyanda Mayana used his time to call out Odendaal and the ANC for allegedly lying about being against cadre deployment.He alleged that when Odendaal was mayor, he wanted an unqualified DA person from Cape Town to be appointed as executive director for infrastructure and engineering.Mayana said being in a coalition with the ANC meant decision-making happened at the party’s provincial headquarters, Calata House in Qonce.Mayibuye Civic Movement mayoral candidate Tukela Zumani accused the DA of coming up with excuses for why certain individuals could not be appointed to the infrastructure and engineering position.“Siyanda is absolutely correct in his account of what took place when we tried to appoint the executive director.”Zumani said the vacancy was linked to a case he had opened against then acting city manager and electricity and energy executive director Luvuyo Magalela in April 2024. Zumani reported Magalela to the police over alleged irregularities in streetlight tenders. Magalela resigned in August 2024, although the municipality did not disclose the reason. The case later led to an SIU investigation into the tenders.Zumani’s account explained his involvement in the events surrounding the vacancy, but he offered little detail about how his party would fill the post if it entered government.Defenders of the People mayoral candidate Sinebhongo Kwatsha took a jab at the EFF’s Ngqisha “lying” about being concerned about the appointment of the CFO.She said a council meeting scheduled for last week did not convene because of infighting about who should be appointed.“What Ngqisha has said about the appointment of the CFO is a lie. They are busy fighting about who should be appointed as CFO so they can do more corruption. We are tired of thieves.”She said the main contributor to instability was the office of the city manager, which her party would bring under control. Kwatsha did not explain how the party would do this, given that the post was not vacant and was currently filled in an acting capacity by Lonwabo Ngoqo.Independent candidate from Kariega Thamsanqa Nkevu said the right qualification, relevant qualification and suitable candidates were what was needed to restore good governance.“We have unskilled and unqualified people occupying positions they don’t deserve; as a result, it becomes difficult to fill funded posts because the imposters who have taken over our municipality do not want stability.”Nkevu, a new kid on the block, may have little to no experience when it comes to council business, but as a community activist, he is in touch with the issues that affect the residents of Kariega. His candidacy raises a question about whether he is seeking the mayoral position or a proportional representation seat from which to represent the people of Kariega.Appointments must be ‘depoliticised’UDM mayoral candidate Luxolo Namette said there was a need to depoliticise appointments by making them on merit rather than party affiliation. He also did not explain how this would be done. Namette is the chairperson of the municipal public accounts committee (MPAC), which adopted an item to write off R25-billion in irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure. This has made his leadership questionable, because he also voted for the blanket write-off, which begs the question: what informed his vote, and did he consider the legal implications?Daily Maverick’s pre-election debate in Nelson Mandela Bay left some residents unimpressed with the answers of mayoral candidates. (photo Deon Ferreira) Freedom Front Plus representative Renaldo Gouws said a skills audit needed to be conducted by looking at those deployed by the parties.“The reason we can’t attract professionals is because they are too scared they will be sued by the municipality; we have sent back R2-billion to Treasury because of this. Let’s spend a few million to get rid of these individuals and give them golden handshakes.” He acknowledged that ‘golden handshakes’ cost money, but argued that getting rid of incompetent or corrupt officials was worth the cost. ANC mayoral candidate Andile Lungisa blamed the instability of coalition governments, saying that when the City was under the outright leadership of the ANC between 2000 and 2015, it was governed effectively.“We voted as the cleanest city, we had cash reserves and funding for housing development. When the DA took over power and governed with smaller parties, that’s when the collapse of services began. The DA are the manufacturers of the collapse.”Lungisa called on residents to vote for the ANC, which currently leads the coalition. The question is why the ANC has not implemented these plans while it has been in government with its coalition partners.Good party mayoral candidate Lawrence Troon said some acting directors have been unlawfully occupying those roles for more than two years.“I have been raising this alone because councillors from the ANC and DA have their business interests, which is why I brought two motions to remove the ANC, but the DA did not want to support the motions,” he said. Abantu Integrity Movement mayoral candidate Mod Ndoyana said the first thing that needed to be done before filling the vacancies was ensuring that the organisational structure was fit for purpose.“We have written several letters to the mayor telling her what needs to be done; hence I’m saying thanks to the outgoing ANC government. To attract professionals, we need to ensure that the job specifications are clear. You can’t attract professionals when the specifications are ambiguous.” But the metro’s appointment issues are bigger than just ambiguous specifications. Professionals won’t join the metro because of the instability that could affect their careers. Ndoyana’s response also needs further explanation, given that the organisational structure has been under discussion for years.Fed-up residents had their say — and didn’t hold backBay residents had the opportunity to speak truth to power as they are set to decide which party will take over the mayoral chain after the elections.Mark Jensen, a founding director of Citizens of NMB, a non-partisan civic movement bringing together businesses, civil society organisations, churches and residents to encourage greater public participation in the metro’s future, said politicians were putting their own interests ahead of the needs of residents.Citizens of NMB’s Mark Jensen spoke passionately about municipal failures and the need for accountability. (Photo: Deon Ferreira) “The reality is you have all been in power. Our city is the way it is because of all of you, but you are so self-centred that you’re not actually sitting around a table to resolve issues. If you can’t find the solution, why don't you go into a situation where you have arbitration if you can’t agree on a candidate for a position.”Jensen said the metro desperately needed transparency so that people knew what was happening behind closed doors. Bongiwe Masombuka, founder of Ubuhle BeGqeberha, a grassroots community initiative that mobilises volunteers to clear illegal dumping sites and reclaim neglected public spaces in KwaZakhele, said she had been left disappointed by the municipality’s failure to support community efforts.Ubuhle BeGqeberha project founder Bongiwe Masombuka said nonprofit organisations got no assistance from the municipality and were sent from pillar to post whenever they sought an audience with the metro. (Photo: Deon Ferreira) “I was hoping the city manager and officials from the public health department whom I have sent my proposal to many years ago were here. We were criticised, undermined and undervalued. I had 89 volunteers who saw that I was a visionary, but we have been so mistreated by our own people in the municipality that I can’t encourage the people to keep going.“I wish elections took place annually because there’s no way that you can only see politicians doing something for the communities a week before the elections.”Masombuka criticised politicians for deserting the township community, which had put them in power due to its large population. “The population of the township is the reason why all of you are in those positions, but we are the ones who suffer the most,” she said. Her remarks drew a strong response from the audience, with other residents standing to add their own frustrations. “We are weeping. We need you to bring change,” said one. Another challenged the candidates: “Go google the definition of a leader. A leader is supposed to lead people to a goal or a shared vision, but you do not know what the goals and the visions are of the people you want to lead.” DM*Each candidate was given two minutes to answer each question, after which their microphone was switched off. The time constraints also meant there was limited opportunity for candidates to respond to allegations or claims made by their fellow panellists.