GQEBERHA – The Democratic Alliance held final mass rallies in Gqeberha on 29 October to close its campaign to win Nelson Mandela Bay, with the party’s mayoral candidate Retief Odendaal urging voters to “imagine a city that works.”

Addressing supporters, Odendaal asked residents to picture a city where basic services functioned reliably.

“Imagine a Nelson Mandela Bay where the lights stay on, where water flows from our taps, where sewage no longer runs through our streets, where our roads are maintained, and where our streets are clean and safe,” he said.

He asked voters to imagine businesses opening instead of closing, investors bringing money into the city, and young people finding jobs.

“Imagine a Nelson Mandela Bay where our children can play in our parks without fear, where our communities have functioning sports facilities, and where every resident can live with dignity and pride,” Odendaal said.

“Imagine a Nelson Mandela Bay where municipal leaders spend their time solving problems, not fighting one another for political power. Imagine a Nelson Mandela Bay that works.”

Make or break

Odendaal described the election as a defining moment for the metro.

“Make no mistake, this election is make or break for Nelson Mandela Bay. We cannot afford another five years of ANC-led coalition chaos. We cannot survive another five years of the ANC, EFF and small political parties putting their own interests ahead of the people.”

Odendaal warned that every vote dividing the opposition risked handing the city back to the coalitions he said had failed its people.

“A DA majority will put the power to govern where it belongs: in the hands of the voters, not the coalition power brokers,” he said.

He called the election the last real opportunity to turn the city around before the damage became permanent.

Taking back the streets

Odendaal outlined his commitments, saying the DA government would deploy more metro police officers and town rangers and expand the CCTV network.

“We will take back our streets,” he said. “Our parks must belong to our children. Our streets must belong to our communities. Criminals cannot be allowed to decide where we walk, where we play, or when we close our businesses.”

He pledged to clean up the city, invest in reliable cleaning services, and act against illegal dumping.

“We will put your service payments back into your services,” he said. “Money paid for water and electricity must maintain the pipes, pumps, cables, and substations that keep them flowing.”

Odendaal promised to ring-fence those revenues and tackle maintenance failures that left families without basic services and businesses unable to operate.

Investment, jobs & clean governance

Odendaal said the DA government would cut unnecessary fees, clear approval backlogs, and get applications moving.

“Every avoidable municipal delay holds back someone trying to build a business, employ a worker, or earn a living,” he said.

He pledged to overhaul municipal procurement, protect whistleblowers, and hold officials accountable.

“Public money must serve the public. It must never be treated as a reward for political connections,” Odendaal said.

He also promised to release well-located municipal land for housing and bring in private investment to rebuild infrastructure, saying families needed access to homes closer to work, schools and opportunity.

Vision for 2031

Odendaal said the party’s vision was for a rebuilt city by 2031, and asked voters to judge a DA government by what it delivered.

“Our vision for 2031, after five years under a DA government, is simple,” he said. “Nelson Mandela Bay as a city rebuilt. A place that is safe, well-run and flourishing.”

He previously pledged R1.5 billion over five years for infrastructure upgrades across the municipality’s 11 Northern Areas wards.

Every vote counts

Citing polls showing the DA leading and close to a majority, Odendaal said every vote mattered.

“It’s so close your vote can make the difference. It’s so close every vote counts,” he said.

He urged supporters not to assume someone else would vote for them, not to stay home, and not to believe their vote did not matter.

“Every vote for the DA is an opportunity to change the direction of this city,” he said. “Vote DA to rescue our city. Vote DA to get Nelson Mandela Bay working again.”

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