Nearly two months after Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality promised urgent action to restore vandalised beachfront infrastructure, much of its flagship tourism precinct remains poorly lit, while critics argue the ward's R1.945-million maintenance and upgrade budget is nowhere near enough to reverse years of neglect.

Nearly two months after Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality promised residents and visitors that it would restore vandalised beachfront lighting and electrical infrastructure, much of the city's flagship tourism precinct remains in the dark.

The municipality's commitment followed a public dressing-down in Parliament and an after-dark inspection of the beachfront in June. At the time, Mayor Babalwa Lobishe promised that non-functional streetlights would be repaired urgently and that repair teams from the electricity and energy directorate had been deployed to begin restoration work.

Earlier this year, Daily Maverick reported on the spiralling decay and rampant vandalism at King's Beach and Happy Valley. While King's Beach continues to battle neglect, businesses and residents have since steadily given Happy Valley a new lease of life.

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FOR CONTEXT Nelson Mandela Bay's flagship beachfront left to rot through neglect, vandalism and poor security March 22, 2026 Tourism representatives and Ward 2 councillor Sean Tappan say the promised improvements have yet to materialise, with vandalism, theft of electrical infrastructure and crime continuing unabated. Tappan added that the budget allocated to ward 2, which forms a large part of the beachfront precinct, was simply not enough to fix years of neglect.

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