7 March 2025
Over a hundred people gathered in the Babs Madlakane Hall in KwaNobuhle on Thursday. Photo: Thamsanqa Mbovane.
There is currently no contract in place for fixing street lights in Kariega. This was according to Nelson Mandela Bay acting electricity and energy director, Tholi Biyela. He was speaking to over a hundred people living in wards 42 to 47 in KwaNobuhle, Kariega, on Thursday.
But, a tender for nine service providers across the metro would be coming out next week, Biyela said.
Areas in the metro have been in the dark for several years due to maladministration in the municipality and a dodgy street lights tender, GroundUp previously reported.
Residents were gathered in the Babs Madlakane Hall, along with city officials acting city manager Sizwe Mvunelwa, Mayor Babalwa Lobishe, mayco members, and councillors.
Biyela admitted there have been delays with sorting out the street lights.
“We don’t have a contractor in place at the present moment in Kariega. In the past, we used one service provider in the whole metro but there is now a tender that is coming out next week Wednesday. This particular tender will have nine service providers this time.”
Biyela said that they will use a structured approach to fixing the street lights. Each ward councillor has been asked to identify five streets that are critical.
He also said street lights were vandalised and cables were stolen, and the municipality was considering fixing lights using internal teams for major roads in KwaNobuhle.
Sizwe Mvunelwa, acting city manager, said that the municipality was concerned cable theft was being done by internal people “because the people who vandalise electricity know what they are doing”. He said they have “engaged” with SAPS about this.
Other issues were raised by residents at the meeting, such as rubbish dumps in their communities, water leaks, and potholes.