Note to Editors: Please find attached a soundbite in English by Retief Odendaal MPL
- NMB residents marched to protest the reduction of free basic services and rising tariffs.
- A petition signed by more than 800 people was delivered.
- The ANC/EFF government introduced these anti-poor decisions.
The consequences of Nelson Mandela Bay implementing its highest basket of tariff increases in eight years, while simultaneously reducing its basket of free services, are devastating for the poor.
Today, residents joined us in Gqeberha as we marched from Nelson Mandela Peace Park to the Motherwell Thusong Centre. With them they carried a petition signed by more than 800 residents who now must choose between keeping the lights on and running water or putting food on the table.
[download pictures here, here, here and here]
Nelson Mandela Bay’s Assistance to the Poor (ATTP) basket of free basic services has been reduced due to unaffordability. The allocation of free electricity was reduced from 75 kWh to 50 kWh and water from 8 kl to 6 kl per month.
At the same time, the Metro’s decision to do away with inclining block tariffs dealt indigent households who qualify for free basic services another blow. The decision to remove inclining block tariffs has led to a 60% increase in the cost of electricity purchases for those on the ATTP program.
That is one of the reasons why the DA had to go to court to go and fight the unlawful scrapping of the inclining block tariffs. The court order that we received will go a long way to soften the blow of the government reducing free basic services to the poor.
The reason behind the uncaring ANC/EFF government introducing these anti-poor decisions is no doubt the consequences of the continued mismanagement of the City. The Electricity and Energy Department ran at a financial loss of R1,58 billion in the 2024/25 financial year. It is widely expected that losses will exceed R1,6 billion in the 2025/26 financial year.
Instead of fixing the Electricity Department by filling critical vacancies and addressing both technical and non-technical losses, the current government in NMB will rather pass the buck to residents.
A DA government will ensure that the poor is shielded against exorbitant price hikes which can decimate families.
NMB needs a DA government that can get our Metro back on track. The DA will do everything in our ability to get Nelson Mandela Bay working again.