Pray the News
Civil Groups Slam Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality
Daily Maverick 28 January 2026
Thought for Today
Years of neglected infrastructure have left Nelson Mandela Bay in darkness and without water — but civil society is refusing to stay silent. As the Coalition for Civil Society prepares a scorecard to hold leadership accountable, we remember that God desires justice and mercy in every sphere of society.
“In the Lord’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water that he channels toward all who please him.” (Proverbs 21:1)
Today, we intercede for righteous governance and the completion of every good work aimed at restoring our city!
Civil Society Coalition Meeting
Civil Groups Slam Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality
Daily Maverick 28 January 2026
Thought for Today
Years of neglected infrastructure have left Nelson Mandela Bay in darkness and without water — but civil society is refusing to stay silent. As the Coalition for Civil Society prepares a scorecard to hold leadership accountable, we remember that God desires justice and mercy in every sphere of society.
“In the Lord’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water that he channels toward all who please him.” (Proverbs 21:1)
Today, we intercede for righteous governance and the completion of every good work aimed at restoring our city!
Civil Society Coalition Meeting
Abstract from Article:
"Repeated electricity outages in Nelson Mandela Bay, caused by long-neglected infrastructure, are crippling businesses, disrupting water supply and threatening jobs, civil society leaders say. The Nelson Mandela Bay municipality has been strongly criticised by members of the Coalition for Civil Society for failing to maintain its electricity infrastructure, following a five-day blackout caused by the collapse of two pylons on the Bethelsdorp-Greenbushes 132kV line. The power outages that began on 22 January caused widespread water disruptions, and although electricity was restored on Tuesday, many communities remain without water as infrastructure faults continue to be reported daily. The municipality has largely attributed the collapse of the pylons to vandalism, but Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber CEO Denise van Huysteen said the core problem lay in the city’s electricity infrastructure, which had suffered from years of inadequate maintenance.
Coalition of Civil Society chairperson Monga Peter said there were burning issues the municipality needed to resolve – issues the coalition would monitor to measure Mayor Babalwa Lobishe’s performance. Peter said they would present their oversight plans and concerns at Friday’s meeting with Lobishe – something he said Lobishe had committed to during an engagement with Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa in December. “The coalition is bound by the motive to contribute to salvaging our city from political and administrative instability that derail service delivery. We wish to present … at the appropriate time a scorecard that lists all issues that these diverse sectors intend to render their oversight responsibility by observing the scorecard list,” Peter said. “We will engage the mayor on the scorecard in the set meeting. In that session, we intend to commit the leadership to a service delivery plan that we will monitor and evaluate as a collective.”
More Background:
The Coalition for Civil Society (chaired by Monga Peter) held a press briefing around the time of the article to sign a social impact document and recommit to oversight. They plan to hold the mayor, Babalwa Lobishe, accountable via a "scorecard" of key issues, to be presented and discussed in a scheduled meeting, likely late January or early February 2026, following a prior commitment during a December 2025 engagement with the national Cooperative Governance minister. The Coalition for Civil Society (also referred to as the Nelson Mandela Bay Civil Society Coalition or NMBCSC) is a constituted, long-standing body. It has been active since at least 2013, functioning as a permanent, organized platform for oversight and advocacy on governance, service delivery, and political stability in Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB). It is non-partisan and operates through formal engagements, such as signing social compacts, issuing statements, presenting scorecards to municipal leadership, and participating in meetings with officials like the mayor and national ministers.
Prayer Pointers
A Prayer
Heavenly Father,
We come before You with confidence that You who began this good work in the hearts of the Coalition for Civil Society will carry it on to completion. Grant them divine wisdom, strength, and perseverance to to design the scorecard, addressing every critical issue—from skilled appointments free of interference to the urgent maintenance of electricity, water, and sanitation infrastructure. Lord, as You require Your people to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with You, make this scorecard a righteous tool of accountability. Empower it to expose neglect without bias, promote transparency, and compel municipal leaders to serve with integrity and compassion for the people of Nelson Mandela Bay. Finally, we place the hearts of Mayor Babalwa Lobishe and all in authority in Your sovereign hand, for You channel them like streams of water toward what pleases You. Direct them through this scorecard to tangible reforms, effective monitoring, protection from vandalism, and lasting improvements in service delivery that bless our communities. Amen. Listen to the prayer here
Compiled by GAP Ministries
Visit our 2026 Pray the News Index page here
Visit our 2025 Pray the News archive page here
"Repeated electricity outages in Nelson Mandela Bay, caused by long-neglected infrastructure, are crippling businesses, disrupting water supply and threatening jobs, civil society leaders say. The Nelson Mandela Bay municipality has been strongly criticised by members of the Coalition for Civil Society for failing to maintain its electricity infrastructure, following a five-day blackout caused by the collapse of two pylons on the Bethelsdorp-Greenbushes 132kV line. The power outages that began on 22 January caused widespread water disruptions, and although electricity was restored on Tuesday, many communities remain without water as infrastructure faults continue to be reported daily. The municipality has largely attributed the collapse of the pylons to vandalism, but Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber CEO Denise van Huysteen said the core problem lay in the city’s electricity infrastructure, which had suffered from years of inadequate maintenance.
Coalition of Civil Society chairperson Monga Peter said there were burning issues the municipality needed to resolve – issues the coalition would monitor to measure Mayor Babalwa Lobishe’s performance. Peter said they would present their oversight plans and concerns at Friday’s meeting with Lobishe – something he said Lobishe had committed to during an engagement with Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa in December. “The coalition is bound by the motive to contribute to salvaging our city from political and administrative instability that derail service delivery. We wish to present … at the appropriate time a scorecard that lists all issues that these diverse sectors intend to render their oversight responsibility by observing the scorecard list,” Peter said. “We will engage the mayor on the scorecard in the set meeting. In that session, we intend to commit the leadership to a service delivery plan that we will monitor and evaluate as a collective.”
Peter said the coalition had identified that the metro’s problems related to issues concerning:
- The appointment of a competent and skilled city manager who was free of political interference;
- Supply chain management issues;
- Implementation of service delivery contracts;
- The water management crisis;
- Vacancies relating to key technical skills;
- The maintenance of electricity, water and sanitation infrastructure;
- Protection of municipal assets from vandalism; and
- The enforcement of municipal law and order regulations."
More Background:
The Coalition for Civil Society (chaired by Monga Peter) held a press briefing around the time of the article to sign a social impact document and recommit to oversight. They plan to hold the mayor, Babalwa Lobishe, accountable via a "scorecard" of key issues, to be presented and discussed in a scheduled meeting, likely late January or early February 2026, following a prior commitment during a December 2025 engagement with the national Cooperative Governance minister. The Coalition for Civil Society (also referred to as the Nelson Mandela Bay Civil Society Coalition or NMBCSC) is a constituted, long-standing body. It has been active since at least 2013, functioning as a permanent, organized platform for oversight and advocacy on governance, service delivery, and political stability in Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB). It is non-partisan and operates through formal engagements, such as signing social compacts, issuing statements, presenting scorecards to municipal leadership, and participating in meetings with officials like the mayor and national ministers.
Prayer Pointers
- Pray for Divine Completion of the Scorecard: Drawing from Philippians 1:6 – "Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Pray that the Coalition for Civil Society, which initiated this scorecard, will have the wisdom, resources, and perseverance needed to fully complete it, ensuring every key issue—from infrastructure maintenance to accountable appointments—is thoroughly addressed and documented.
- Pray for Righteous Accountability Through the Scorecard: Inspired by Micah 6:8 – "He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." Pray that the scorecard will become a powerful instrument of justice, empowering civil society to hold the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality accountable without bias, fostering transparency, and prompting leaders to act with integrity and mercy in service delivery.
- Pray for the Scorecard's Effectiveness and Lasting Impact: Based on Proverbs 21:1 – "In the Lord’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water that he channels toward all who please him." Ask God to direct the hearts of municipal leaders, including Mayor Babalwa Lobishe, so that the scorecard's evaluations lead to tangible reforms, effective monitoring, and sustained improvements in areas like vandalism protection and water management, ultimately benefiting the community as a whole.
A Prayer
Heavenly Father,
We come before You with confidence that You who began this good work in the hearts of the Coalition for Civil Society will carry it on to completion. Grant them divine wisdom, strength, and perseverance to to design the scorecard, addressing every critical issue—from skilled appointments free of interference to the urgent maintenance of electricity, water, and sanitation infrastructure. Lord, as You require Your people to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with You, make this scorecard a righteous tool of accountability. Empower it to expose neglect without bias, promote transparency, and compel municipal leaders to serve with integrity and compassion for the people of Nelson Mandela Bay. Finally, we place the hearts of Mayor Babalwa Lobishe and all in authority in Your sovereign hand, for You channel them like streams of water toward what pleases You. Direct them through this scorecard to tangible reforms, effective monitoring, protection from vandalism, and lasting improvements in service delivery that bless our communities. Amen. Listen to the prayer here
Latest Update: Thursday 26 March
Civil Society Coalition Welcomes Parliamentary Accountability Push
The Nelson Mandela Bay Civil Society Coalition has welcomed Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA)’s firm stance in holding the metro’s political and administrative leadership accountable for the municipality’s ongoing decline. The coalition described the engagements on Tuesday and yesterday as a “necessary and long-overdue moment of accountability.” Mayor Babalwa Lobishe faced a bruising four-hour grilling in Parliament, where MPs accused her of weak leadership, disregarding official correspondence, and overseeing a municipality in dysfunction.This development strengthens the coalition’s oversight role as they prepare their comprehensive scorecard to monitor service delivery, infrastructure maintenance, and leadership accountability in Nelson Mandela Bay.
Compiled by GAP Ministries
Visit our 2026 Pray the News Index page here
Visit our 2025 Pray the News archive page here