Parliament, Tuesday, 24 March 2026 – The Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) on Tuesday raised concerns that the unresponsiveness of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality’s leadership to parliamentary oversight reflects a broader failure of accountability within the Office of the Executive Mayor.
During its engagement with the metro’s leadership, which included the executive mayor, Ms Babalwa Lobishe, the Speaker, Municipal Manager and the Chief Financial Officer, the committee noted that multiple formal communications from Parliament had not been acknowledged or responded to since January this year. The committee found the explanations provided by the mayor during the meeting to be inconsistent and inadequate. The mayor’s explanations to the committee ranged from telling Members of the committee that instructions had been issued and that correspondence had not reached her, to claims that administrative processes had failed and that a certain individual had been issued a warning.
The committee, however, rejected these explanations as inadequate and noted that this is an indication of deeper governance weaknesses. The Chairperson of the committee, Dr Zweli Mkhize, said that the matter could not be reduced to only administrative inefficiencies. “This whole thing is actually a very serious disrespect towards Parliament.” Dr Mkhize said that not providing the committee with even a basic acknowledgement of its correspondence pointed to a concerning institutional posture on the part of the municipality. He also noted that similar expectations had been applied to other municipalities, and Nelson Mandela Bay Metro’s unresponsiveness was thus not justified.
The correspondence sent to the municipality between January and March this year was part of a standard follow-up process after a joint parliamentary delegation’s oversight visit in October last year. The correspondence included requests for additional information on reports regarding a transformer and so-called evergreen contracts, among other things.
During its engagement today, the committee noted that these requests form part of Parliament’s constitutional responsibility to ensure accountability and transparency. The failure to respond undermines Parliament’s, and in particular the committee’s, ability to assess progress on critical governance, financial management and service delivery issues affecting communities in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro.
Against this background, Dr Mkhize told the mayor that due to the municipality’s delays and non-responsiveness to oversight, the committee was one step away from adopting a resolution to issue a summons under Section 56 of the Constitution. He acknowledged that this was a serious measure not taken lightly to compel the mayor to appear before the committee and provide the requested information.
“Non-compliance with such a summons would constitute an offence in terms of the Powers, Privileges and Immunities of Parliament and Provincial Legislatures Act. It may even result in a fine or imprisonment of up to two years,” said the Chairperson. “Had the committee not received the response on 3 March, it would have proceeded without further delay to issue a summons. This would have created a formal legal obligation to comply, failing which the matter could have escalated to criminal proceedings.”
The committee has now requested that the Speaker of the municipal council, Ms Eugene Johnson, table the matter involving the breakdown in communication and the associated implications for governance and accountability for consideration by the Council. The committee requested that the Speaker submit the resolution on this matter to it once adopted by the Council.
Dr Mkhize reminded the Speaker of the Council that the mayor’s first line of accountability is to the Council. “That is why we request the Council to consider this matter. This request signals how seriously we consider this matter.” The Chairperson also reminded the delegation that, for Parliament to exercise its oversight function, engagement must be timely and credible. “The failure to respond compromises the committee’s ability to fulfil its constitutional mandate,” he said. Dr Mkhize further reminded the delegation that cooperative governance is not optional, but a constitutional obligation. “We expect the Council to give urgent and serious consideration to the matter and to provide a clear and comprehensive response to Parliament,” he said.
The committee will continue its two-day engagement with the municipality on Wednesday. Issues to be interrogated include the suspension of the Municipal Manager, media reports on the mayor’s alleged involvement in a transformer lease agreement, evergreen contracts and deviations, the withdrawal of the municipality’s Human Settlements Grant, and various service delivery issues.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON COOPERATIVE GOVERNANCE AND TRADITIONAL AFFAIRS, DR ZWELI MKHIZE.
For media inquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact the Media Officer:
Name: Alicestine October
Cell: 083 665 4345
E-mail: aoctober@parliament.gov.za
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