Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa leads high-level strategic engagement with key stakeholders in Nelson Mandela Bay, 6 Dec

The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Mr. Velenkosini Hlabisa, will lead a high-level strategic engagement with key stakeholders in Nelson Mandela Bay. This session follows the initial meeting held on 26 September 2025 and seeks to deepen collaboration between government, business, and civil society.

The engagement will bring together the Ministry of COGTA, the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro Municipality, Eastern Cape COGTA, and the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber. Minister Hlabisa will be accompanied by the Eastern Cape COGTA MEC, Mr Zolile Williams.

During the previous engagement concerns were raised about instability in municipal leadership, service delivery failures, and infrastructure deterioration, challenges that have long constrained the Metro’s economic potential. The need for predictable governance, operational improvements, and strengthened partnerships to support investment and job creation was also highlighted.

This upcoming strategic session will review progress made since the September meeting and provide a platform for key sectors to present their perspectives. The programme will include, among other matters:

• Overview of the state of the Nelson Mandela Bay economy
• Nelson Mandela Bay Civil Society Coalition’s perspective on the socio-economic state of the Metro
• Presentation on the state of the Municipality and plans to address service delivery challenges
• Partnership and collaboration opportunities

This strategic engagement forms part of ongoing efforts to strengthen partnerships that drive economic recovery, job creation, and improved service delivery through the District Development Model (DDM).

Meeting Details:

Date: 6 December 2025
Venue: Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Council Chamber
Time: 11h00 – 14h30

Members of the media are invited to attend and cover the proceedings.

For media enquiries, kindly contact:

Ms. Pearl Maseko-Binqose
Media Liaison Officer to the Minister of CoGTA
+27 (82) 772 1709

Mr. Legadima Leso
COGTA Head of Communications
Cell: +27 (66) 479 9904

#GovZAUpdates