The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality’s “Fill Up the Bay” pothole repair campaign has repaired 5 944 potholes since its launch in August 2026, as the metro steps up efforts to improve road safety, restore damaged infrastructure and reduce the city's pothole backlog.
Launched by Executive Mayor Babalwa Lobishe in the Perseverance Industrial Area, the campaign has expanded to areas including Veeplaas and Ward 30, rehabilitating roads severely damaged by flooding and prolonged maintenance backlogs.
The municipality has allocated R61 million to road maintenance, with R30 million ring-fenced for accelerated pothole repairs.
The programme is strategically designed to rebuild a safe, resilient road network capable of supporting the growing Nelson Mandela Bay economy.
Beyond repairing damaged road surfaces, the campaign also addresses underlying infrastructure issues, including broken and collapsed stormwater drains and blocked drainage systems that contribute to road flooding.
Lobishe said persistent rainfall continues to affect the pace and quality of the ongoing work, with contractors sometimes having to suspend operations in several areas to allow surfaces to dry. Heavy downpours have also damaged some newly laid asphalt.
Despite these challenges, she said municipal internal teams and appointed private contractors continue to work across the metro’s clusters to maximize ground coverage.
"Encouraging progress is being made, and contractors are active in almost every cluster of the metro. This work is about more than just patching holes; it is about elevating our road infrastructure to align with our economic growth strategy. A dependable road network is the absolute backbone of a thriving local economy,” Lobishe said.
Lobishe attributed the campaign’s progress to ongoing oversight by Member of the Mayoral Committee for Roads and Transport, Yolisa Pali-Jongilanga.
EPWP participants help clear thousands of drains
The campaign also incorporates the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP), creating work opportunities while supporting the municipality’s infrastructure maintenance efforts.
Over the past three months, 400 EPWP participants have worked alongside municipal teams, clearing 4 700 stormwater drains, removing debris from 3.4 kilometres of stormwater canals and completing one kilometre of jet-vac cleaning.
The project also drives local economic relief by mandating that contractors employ at least three local community members in every ward where work is undertaken.
Lobishe said addressing drainage problems alongside pothole repairs is essential to ensure the improvements last.
“Fixing potholes without concurrently addressing stormwater drainage and canals would be an exercise in futility. A major root cause of our road damage is stormwater running across the tarmac instead of being channelled through functional drains and canals,” she said.
She emphasised that the municipality’s approach must remain comprehensive to protect repaired roads and improve the durability of the metro’s infrastructure. – SAnews.gov.za
