THE Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber (NMBBC) has noted with great concern, the increased number of reports on the rampant destruction of infrastructure, especially the electricity infrastructure, across the metropole.
According to NMBBC chief executive officer Nomkhita Mona, this loss of electricity supply has seriously caused massive business interruption, leading to multi–million rand losses.
“Some of our manufacturers have had to face stiff penalties for missing their international delivery deadlines. This comes at a time when quite a number of businesses have closed doors owing to the impact of the pandemic, thus increasing unemployment numbers in the region,” said Mona.
She said that while the metropole has aging infrastructure, it has also emerged that vandalism and theft from municipal sub–stations have exacerbated the situation.
Lawlessness threatens investments
“As the Business Chamber, we strongly condemn this new form of lawlessness threatening the various investments forming part of the backbone of the metropole’s economy.
“Ease of doing business has been a fundamental issue of concern in the metropole for some time now and such vandalism can only worsen the business environment.”
Mona added that the Business Chamber wants to work with the municipality to deal with the vandalism of sub–stations, and called upon them to show leadership in the preservation and maintenance of the local infrastructure.
