GroundUp

  The community of Helenvale in Gqeberha say they have had intermittent water supply since 2015. Many of them have very high water bills due to assisting neighbours who didn’t get any water at all. The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality says the problem is the decaying infrastructure. They have also battled to access pipes due to the number of backyard shacks built over the main water pipes. The City acknowledged that there have been delays but expected the project to … [Read more...] about Gqeberha community blame high water bills on the municipality’s failure to fix faulty pipes

  Public toilets in the Gqeberha and Kariega CBDs had been filthy and locked for over two years until recently, when some homeless people and informal traders began cleaning the toilets themselves and charging an entry fee of R2. In 2019 GroundUp reported on the leaking public toilets at the Govan Mbeki taxi rank. People had started to relieve themselves in public because the toilets were so revolting. At the time, Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality said it was “working around the … [Read more...] about Homeless people and traders in Nelson Mandela Bay take over cleaning public toilets

  Dozens of people over 60 years old went to the Govan Mbeki Community Hall in Gqeberha on Tuesday for their second dose of the Pfizer vaccine against Covid-19. Hubert Qaba, 78, said, “We have three grandchildren who don’t adhere to Covid-19 regulations by going to crowded areas and parties. Their behaviour puts us at huge risk of getting infected.” “Vaccine is my protection, not a killer. It has brought a huge relief to me and my wife,” he said. “Since I received my first … [Read more...] about Elderly getting Covid vaccine have message for young people

  The chaos erupted after 30 shacks were demolished on Wednesday in Gqeberha. After blocking Old Uitenhage Road the protesters torched the ward councillor’s office and assaulted the PR Councillor. At least three people have been arrested for public violence. The municipality says it will appoint a law firm to pursue legal action against the land occupiers. Chaos erupted in Missionvale township in Gqeberha on Wednesday when about 100 people blocked Old Uitenhage … [Read more...] about Community torch municipal office after shacks demolished

  Dismissed Spar Distribution Centre workers in Gqeberha have been found guilty of “gross misconduct” and violating a court interdict against them. This is according to Commissioner Bulelani Busakwe at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA). Commissioner Busakwe found that “The evidence [before him] proved on a balance of probabilities that the employees gathered at Kohler Road before 8:30am, blocked Kohler Road, directly or indirectly threatened … [Read more...] about CCMA upholds dismissal of Spar workers in Gqeberha for violating picket rules

  UIF applicants were turned away from the Department of Labour in Gqeberha because the office has had no water for about a week. The office has been operating with limited services since last week and was closed indefinitely on Thursday. Many applicants say they had to borrow money to travel to the office more than once this week. Water supply in the city is under severe strain. The Department asked applicants to visit the Kariega branch or use its online … [Read more...] about No water means no service: Hundreds turned away at Gqeberha labour office

  About 100 people, many elderly, were left frustrated on Friday when health officials failed to deliver Covid-19 vaccines to the Govan Mbeki Community Hall in Gqeberha. People GroundUp spoke to said there had been a shortage of vaccines at the site the whole week. From 7am they waited for vaccines. Not a single health official arrived. Volunteers at the site phoned health officials to find out what was happening. They were promised the vaccines would be delivered by 1pm. At … [Read more...] about Elderly people waited in vain for hours for vaccines at Gqeberha site

Shack dwellers from Govan Mbeki Village in Gqeberha blocked major roads on Wednesday, demanding electricity water and sanitation. Their illegal connections have not worked for a week after a transformer broke down. The 700 families share three taps and three chemical toilets and want better water and sanitation. Mayco Member for Human Settlements Masixole Zinto said a contractor had been on site to see how many new taps and toilets should be provided. About 150 protesters from … [Read more...] about Gqeberha shack dwellers block road, stone cars in protest over electricity and sanitation

The National Lotteries Commission spent R4.8 million on a one-night concert and two-week workshop in 2018. Participants say the event in Gqeberha was poorly organised and done in a rush. The funds were given to Gauteng-based NPO Voice of Triumph. The concert came soon after the UDM’s Mongameli Bobani became mayor and he was featured on posters publicising the event. The National Lotteries Commission (NLC) spent R4.8 million on a “poorly organised”, one-night concert in 2018 … [Read more...] about Millions in Lottery funds spent on one-night “music and arts festival”

Hundreds of residents in Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, 18 years and older, streamed to pop-up sites on the weekend to get vaccinated against Covid-19. Sites were open from 8:30am at Babs Madlakane Hall, Korsten Clinic, Despatch Town Hall, KwaZakhele Clinic, Metlife Plaza, Central Clinic and Cleary Park Shopping Centre. Vaccines were administered free of charge. We visited sites in Gqeberha, Despatch and Kariega. In Gqeberha at KwaZakhele Clinic in Befile Street, dozens came when they … [Read more...] about People flock to Nelson Mandela Bay’s pop-up vaccine sites

A motorcade travelled through Kariega on Wednesday to encourage people to get vaccinated against Covid-19. Infections remain high across towns in Nelson Mandela Bay. In Gqeberha, undocumented immigrants and South Africans are calling for vaccines to be easily accessible. The health department says undocumented people could be registered and vaccinated from October. The health department appears to have committed to vaccinating undocumented people from October. A motorcade with … [Read more...] about People without identity documents could be vaccinated from October – health department