Nelson Mandela Bay: Newly elected mayor of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality, Babalwa Lobishe, has reassured residents that electricity supply will be restored soon. This follows heavy rains on Monday which affected municipal infrastructure across the metro, resulting in power outages, road closures, and blocked stormwater drains.
According to South African Government News Agency, Lobishe stated that various teams are on the ground working diligently to resolve the faults and other service delivery efforts. The mayor led a delegation of officials in Kariega and KwaNobuhle on Tuesday to assess the metro’s response and progress and address challenges that still need attention. She expressed gratitude to the metro’s dedicated officials who are attending to various calls, including flooded homes, electricity outages, burst water pipes, and blocked stormwater drains.
During a visit to the Mabandla Substation in KwaNobuhle, where the entire area is affected by the outage, Lobishe noted that officia
ls confirmed power is live and connecting to the substation. “They are currently finishing testing to switch the electricity back on. We are also making progress on the capital project to refurbish the Mabandla Substation, aiming to eliminate frequent power outages in the area,” Lobishe said.
The mayor also commended officials who are diligently working to ensure no reference number is left unattended, emphasizing the municipality’s unwavering commitment to effectively provide and restore all services to residents. “Our goal is to ensure that every resident receives the services they need promptly and efficiently. We are dedicated to addressing all issues, from power outages to water supply, with the utmost urgency and care.”
KwaNobuhle resident, Aphelele Nelani, expressed hope that power would be restored soon following the mayor’s visit. “The outage really hits us hard in the mornings when children have to go to school, as some households do not have gas stoves. We are hopeful that we will have electricit
y again soon,” Nelani said. Other political leaders, including former Mayor and now Deputy Mayor, Gary van Niekerk, Council Speaker Eugene Johnson, and Chief Whip Wandisile Jikeka, also conducted inspections in other affected clusters.
Meanwhile, a swift and successful fireworks compliance inspection led to the arrest of a cable theft suspect. The suspect was arrested by the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Metro Police on Tuesday after being caught red-handed in possession of stolen copper cables hidden in a storeroom. The arrest follows an inspection of a spaza shop at Mtyingizane Street in KwaNobuhle, Uitenhage.
Metro Police Acting Commissioner, Advocate Andrew Moses, said a 200-meter copper cable was confiscated, and the suspect has been detained at KwaNobuhle Police Station. “The municipality is experiencing high levels of cable theft, and this crime undermines the efforts to grow the economy of the city and the region. It impacts greatly on safety and security,” Moses said. The Acting Commissioner also
commended operation response members for their keen vigilance and urged community members to join the fight against cable theft by reporting to the 24-hour room on 041 585 1555 or 041 508 5501.