A Nelson Mandela Bay council meeting convened to brief councillors on flood damage and emergency response collapsed after disputes over the absence of an acting city manager, exposing governance paralysis amid calls for provincial intervention.
An urgently convened Nelson Mandela Bay council meeting on Thursday evening was downgraded to an information-sharing session after councillors argued it could not lawfully proceed without an appointed acting city manager.
The special sitting had been called to brief councillors on the metro's response to severe flooding, including evacuations, infrastructure repairs and disaster interventions, following days of heavy rain across the city.
However, opposition parties argued that council business could not legally proceed without a recognised head of administration.
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The metro has lacked a legally appointed acting city manager since late March, following the expiration of former COO Lonwabo Ngoqo's second three-month term. Although Ngoqo continued in the role through April, a council meeting on 30 April to appoint his successor stalled due to procedural disputes and eligibility concerns.
Read more Who is running Nelson Mandela Bay? Metro's city manager crisis deepens May 6, 2026 Chief Financial Officer Jackson Ngcelwane was nominated for the acting city manager post, but his eligibility was questioned in correspondence sent to Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) MEC Zolile Williams. He has since declined the position.
The municipality has asked Williams to deploy a provincial official to fill the position,...
