A special Nelson Mandela Bay council meeting called to discuss flood response collapsed on Thursday evening due to the absence of an acting city manager. Opposition parties boycotted the session, arguing it could not proceed legally without a head of administration. The metro has been without an appointed acting city manager since late March.
The meeting was downgraded to an information-sharing session after councillors from the DA and EFF refused to participate. DA councillor Gustav Rautenbach stated that without an acting city manager the meeting would be illegal. The EFF also walked out after Speaker Eugene Johnson blocked a motion to reappoint Lonwabo Ngoqo, who is ineligible for a third term.
Mayor Babalwa Lobishe had intended to brief councillors on evacuations and infrastructure damage from heavy rains that began on Tuesday. Two MECs were scheduled to visit the area to assess the situation and support funding applications. However, the acting executive director for safety and security failed to appear, and the session ended amid complaints that councillors already received daily updates through the Joint Operations Committee.
The Nelson Mandela Bay Civil Society Coalition called for provincial intervention under Section 139(5) of the Constitution. Coalition chair Monga Peter highlighted delays in fuel procurement that left emergency vehicles stranded during the floods. He noted that the CFO’s acting appointment letter remains unsigned, further paralysing administrative functions.
This comes after President Cyril Ramaphosa commended the mayor’s leadership during a visit on Monday and after the municipality appeared before a parliamentary committee on Wednesday.