South Africa: 'We've Had Enough' - Churches Mobilise Communities Amid NMB Governance Crisis

9 September 2025
Daily Maverick (Johannesburg)
By Estelle Ellis

After a disastrous meeting with Executive Mayor Babalwa Lobishe and the province's Premier Oscar Mabuyane, most churches in Nelson Mandela Bay have called a meeting on Thursday to discuss a way forward 'at a time of deep crisis'. This comes after they fired off a fiery missive to the President.

After a disastrous meeting with Executive Mayor Babalwa Lobishe and the province's Premier Oscar Mabuyane, most churches in Nelson Mandela Bay have called a meeting on Thursday to discuss a way forward 'at a time of deep crisis'. This comes after they fired off a fiery missive to the President.

Spiritual leaders across Nelson Mandela Bay will gather with communities at the iconic St Peter's Anglican Church in New Brighton, once the hub of anti-apartheid protest theatre, after a failed meeting with Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane and Nelson Mandela Bay Executive Mayor Babalwa Lobishe.

"While the church is apolitical, we will be educating our congregants across all wards about the value of their vote and how to vote for the people and parties that have the will to provide hope and economic growth to the metro," a letter signed by the senior church leaders in the metro stated.

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The meeting followed a letter to President Cyril Ramaphosa calling for urgent intervention in the failing local government.

"Mr President, national and municipal legislation empowers you to take action," the letter continued, "The present political leadership is clearly and sadly unable to rise to the challenge of tackling the scourges of...

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