GQEBERHA – Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has intensified hotspot monitoring and increased security collaboration following violent protests in Bayland that left trucks and buses damaged. Municipal spokesperson Sithembiso Soyaya said the municipality implements electricity infrastructure upgrades “as and when the plans and budget permit” while working with stakeholders to address service delivery concerns.
The protests, which disrupted traffic on the R75 and M19 routes connecting Kariega and Gqeberha, saw residents demanding electricity after five days without power. The municipality condemned the violence while acknowledging the complex challenges facing informal settlements not formally connected to the municipal grid.
During a protest that took place on 18 August just after 07:00, residents chanted, “No food for five days,” siting that they had no electricity for five days prior to the aforementioned date.
Municipal spokesperson, Sithembiso Soyaya said, “The NMBM is aware of the community protests in Bayland and the informal settlement near the M19, as well as reports of damage to trucks and a bus. We condemn any acts of violence or destruction of property and appeal for calm as we work with all stakeholders to address service delivery concerns.”
He added that the underlying causes of the current power cuts include a combination of infrastructure challenges, vandalism and theft, ageing infrastructure, and in some cases, supply constraints. “These are compounded in informal settlements which are unplanned and therefore not formally connected to the municipal grid.”
Soyaya said that the backlog is a long-standing challenge; the planning cycle for new housing and infrastructure requires formalisation, environmental approvals, and budget allocations, which means that services cannot be rolled out overnight or as and when informal settlements emerge.
“The Municipality, led by the Executive Mayor Babalwa Lobishe has been engaging directly with residents across affected communities to find sustainable solutions for informal settlement upgrading. However, budget limitations and the high number of unplanned settlements across the metro mean that the process is gradual.”
SAPS spokesperson, Captain Sandra Janse Van Rensburg said that the Public Order Police (POP) unit is monitoring the R75 and was alerted by a member of the community of a truck that was petrol bombed close to a shopping centre.
“On arrival, the SAPS members were informed that the driver of the truck was approached by protesters from the side as traffic was backed up and they threw a petrol bomb at the horse and trailer. The truck was empty, and the driver was not injured.”
Janse Van Rensburg added that there are currently no protesters in sight and that officers are on foot patrol in the Bayland area. “POP will remain in the area and motorists should remain cautious when using the roads.”
Soyaya said, “The Municipality, led by the Mayor, will continue to engage residents through formalised channels, including ward structures and community meetings. Communication channels remain open, and further engagements will continue in pursuit of constructive solutions.”
While there were power disruptions experienced earlier this week in the Bay, Soyaya said that the current power disruptions in the area are not directly linked to the broader citywide outages, although both situations highlight the vulnerability of municipal infrastructure to ageing infrastructure, vandalism and load constraints.
“We remain committed to inclusive service delivery, but stress that progress depends on planned development, adequate resources, and constructive engagement rather than destruction of infrastructure and criminality,” Soyaya concluded.
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