NMB launches R60 million pothole repair campaign

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05-08-2026
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Algoa FM
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Executive Mayor Babalwa Lobishe picked up a wheelbarrow and helped fill a pothole in Perseverance Road on Monday as she officially launched Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality's "Fill Up the Bay" pothole repair campaign.

The symbolic act marked the start of a metro-wide initiative aimed at improving road infrastructure, enhancing road safety and tackling the city's growing pothole backlog.

Speaking at the launch, Lobishe said the municipality has allocated R60 million towards its road maintenance programme, including pothole repairs and the refurbishment of roads damaged by potholes across Nelson Mandela Bay.

The campaign, which started in August 2026, will cover all 60 wards, beginning with those that have been identified as the most severely affected.

"We are quite confident that moving forward this "Fill Up the Bay" project is going to run smoothly as we have set aside R60 million to fix all potholes and to refurbish the small roads that are affected by these potholes," said Lobishe.

Repair teams have already begun work in 10 of the municipality's 60 wards, with crews expected to move systematically across the metro as the programme is rolled out in phases.

Lobishe said while she could not immediately quantify the number of potholes across the metro, the municipality has put measures in place to ensure every affected area is addressed.

"I would not be able to say how many potholes we have because we would have to calculate street by street. But all I know is that every cluster is allocated a service provider so that we are able to deal with them and account for every street that has a pothole."

The municipality has appointed 12 service providers, each allocated to different clusters across the metro. Municipal officials will also work alongside the contractors to accelerate repairs.

"Our own officials will be part of the work, complementing the contractors."

The project is also expected to create employment opportunities, with three local people employed in every ward where a contractor is carrying out repairs.

Lobishe appealed to residents for patience as work continues across the city.

"We are starting with the areas that are most affected, but every ward will be covered as the programme progresses."

In addition to pothole repairs, the mayor said work is already under way on other infrastructure challenges in the metro.

"We are already starting on sites across all clusters of the city, and we are here in Perseverance to also fix the pump station. The streets have been affected by sewer spillages, but the pump station has now been attended to. We also need to replace damaged drain covers, which are often filled with stones and litter."

The municipality said the campaign is expected to improve mobility and road safety while also creating economic opportunities through skills development and job creation.

Residents have been encouraged to report potholes through the municipality's official reporting channels to help prioritise repairs.

Lobishe said the campaign represents a collective effort to restore the city's roads.

"Together, we are filling up the Bay, one pothole at a time."