Nelson Mandela Bay metro is contending with roughly 7,000 active water leaks in its aging pipelines despite full dams following recent rains. Officials reported on 21 May 2026 that limited maintenance funding threatens to halt repairs.
Executive director for infrastructure and engineering Joseph Tsatsire told councillors that the city lacks resources to address its 4,700km of decaying pipelines. A water loss strategy estimated at R1.3-billion has received no meaningful budget allocation, leaving three appointed contractors without work orders.
The infrastructure and engineering directorate operates with a R3.4-million budget, of which R370,000 is earmarked for repairs and maintenance. Only 27 percent of the total budget and 62 percent of the maintenance allocation have been spent so far, prompting concerns from councillors across parties about under-expenditure.
Councillors noted that a private firm and a young proposer offered leak-detection solutions but were not engaged. They also highlighted service disruptions, including week-long water shortages affecting Soqhayisa High School in Motherwell.