The Democratic Alliance (DA) has been working tirelessly behind the scenes since returning to office in December 2020, to ensure that Nelson Mandela Bay residents get the services they deserve.
In the 28 months that followed the ousting of then DA mayor, Athol Trollip, the ANC and EFF coalition of corruption ran the city into the ground, as corrupt cadres focused on looting the municipal coffers.
Since returning to office in December 2020, we have been able to build up our financial reserves to cover 4.91 months of expenses.
We have introduced a new query management system and have reopened the Cleary Park and Despatch service centres and opened two new service centres in Kwamagxaki and Zwide. We have resolved 215 676 billing queries and introduced card payments at our Customer Care Centres. We were able to postpone the implementation of the General Valuation 2021 for a year, giving residents a much-needed break in property rates increases.
Our top priority has been to address the challenges of water security. To this end, we have allocated a third of the 2021/22 Capital Budget to Drought Mitigation projects. We have revitalised the Drought Master Plan, fixed 22,424 water leaks and 16,237 sewerage blockages.
We have funded all outstanding drought mitigation projects and have commissioned and completed the Bloemendal Pipeline, so that KwaNobuhle does not run dry
We have declared an IGR-dispute with the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) in a bid to take control of phase three of the Nooitgedacht Low Level Project. We have upgraded the Linton Grange Water Treatment Plant and commissioned the Seaview Water Treatment Works.
For residents safety, we have reintroduced ShotSpotter early warning technology and have facilitated more than a 1000 road blocks.
To help with licensing, we have completed and launched the Motherwell Traffic and Licencing Centre and introduced online bookings.
To protect our municipal infrastructure, we have established an Anti-vandalism unit which has already led to 42 arrests.
We have handed over title deeds to community members for the first time in two and a half years and have reduced building approval turnaround times.
We have budgeted R300 million to formalize and develop 140 informal settlements and have re-established the problem buildings committee.
We have repaired 9,263 potholes, re-tarred and sealed 104 kilometres of road, tarred 6.5 kilometres of gravel road and have constructed 6 kilometres of new sidewalks.
We have licenced the entire fleet of 1100 vehicles, which were unlicensed for two years.
We have assisted 3500 SMMEs through our Incubation Programs and have secured R20 million from National Treasury for the Njoli-node development. We have created 4988 EPWP job opportunities and have attracted new private investment of R107 Million.
We have upgraded and refurbished the Ditchling Substation, fixed 1891 streetlights and installed 1200 new streetlights.
We have cleared over 1000 illegal dump sites and reinstated grass cutting contracts that were left to lapse.
(Click here to read the full list of 100 successes)
We have done all of this and more in the past ten months, because we believe in our city and its people.
The DA wants to return NMB to its rightful place as the economic powerhouse of the province. By getting the basics right, a DA majority will create an enabling environment for all to thrive.
Our NMB manifesto provides real solutions and real strategies that puts the residents first, but to achieve that, we need an outright majority government.
It’s a workable, realistic plan built on a foundation of the many successes we have already achieved in local government. A record of action and a promise of more.
If we were able to do all of this in just 10 months, imagine what we could accomplish with five years of uninterrupted governance.
Only a DA majority government can take NMB forward again, because the DA gets things done. We need 50% plus 1 – and we are appealing to residents to be the one!