They Are Going to Make Us Suffer Again: Eastern Cape Residents Says as DA Prepare to Take Back Power

Some residents of Nelson Mandela Bay in the Eastern Cape say they are disappointed by the prospect of the Democratic Alliance returning to power in the metro, citing high municipal bills during the party’s previous term and saying they had placed their hopes in the ANC. Their concerns, reported by Sipha Kema for SABC News during the 2026 local government elections, show how affordability and service delivery continue to shape voter choices in the port city.

Nelson Mandela Bay, which includes Gqeberha, Despatch and Uitenhage, is one of the metros where municipal finances are closely watched. Residents rely on the council for water, electricity, refuse collection and property rates, and for many households, the monthly municipal account is one of the largest expenses after food and transport. When bills rise sharply, families on fixed or low incomes can struggle to keep up, and disputes over estimated readings, meter faults and tariff increases quickly become a source of anger.

The residents interviewed felt that the DA’s earlier time in government had not delivered the relief they expected. Their frustration suggests that, for some voters, the question is not only which party governs but how it manages the balance between revenue collection and affordability. Local governments must generate income to maintain infrastructure, yet they also face pressure to keep charges manageable for communities where unemployment is high and household budgets are tight.

The decision to turn to the ANC reflects a broader pattern across the country, in which voters who feel let down by one party often look to another in search of change. Yet the ANC has also faced criticism over service delivery in many municipalities, and voters in some areas have been left weighing a choice between parties that each carry a record of shortcomings. For these residents, the election is less about loyalty and more about choosing the option that appears most likely to address their immediate costs.

Coalition arithmetic may also influence the outcome. Where no party wins an outright majority, the eventual governing arrangement will depend on negotiations between parties, and the priorities set during those talks could determine how tariffs, service charges and infrastructure spending are managed. Residents will be watching not only who takes power but what commitments are made about billing, debt and the repair of ageing water and electricity networks.

The results are still being finalised, and the composition of the next council will only be confirmed once the Electoral Commission of South Africa announces the official outcome. Until then, the views of residents in Nelson Mandela Bay offer a useful snapshot of the expectations placed on whoever governs next. Their message is clear: they want municipal services that are reliable and affordable, and they will judge each party by whether it delivers on those basics.

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