21 PROBLEMS: NMB metro finally acts on R35m streetlight scandal, but suspensions still pending

After months of uncertainty over whether Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality would act on a damning Special Investigating Unit (SIU) probe into its streetlight tenders, external lawyers have been appointed to assess possible disciplinary action against 21 implicated officials.The legal team is evaluating the evidence, considering whether disciplinary charges should be brought and assessing whether any officials should be placed on precautionary suspension.No suspensions or disciplinary charges have been confirmed.The development is contained in an update presented behind closed doors to Nelson Mandela Bay councillors on 6 August 2026, and seen by Daily Maverick.“The external legal representatives have been appointed in this matter and are currently busy with the process,” the update reads.The SIU confirmed it received a progress update from the municipality on the disciplinary referrals, dated 3 August 2026.SIU spokesperson Selby Makgotho said the municipality had advised that its legal representatives had completed a detailed review of the documentation provided by the SIU and verified the employment status of all those implicated.“According to the municipality, current employees are being prioritised for disciplinary action, while matters involving former employees will be pursued through the appropriate criminal and or civil processes,” Makgotho said.Cars and pedestrians using Cape Road in Gqeberha do so in the dark under broken streetlights, in the absence of contractors to make repairs. (Photo: Deon Ferreira) He said each matter was being assessed individually to determine the strength of the evidence, appropriate charges and whether precautionary suspension was warranted.“However, its preliminary assessment indicates that several matters justify consideration for precautionary suspension, with draft suspension notices and disciplinary documentation currently being prepared,” Makgotho said.The move comes after mounting pressure on the municipality over its handling of the SIU’s findings.In June, the SIU and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa said they remained in the dark about whether the municipality had acted on recommendations to pursue disciplinary action against the 21 implicated officials.At the time, Makgotho said the municipality was expected to provide an update on the implementation of the recommendations within 90 days.The SIU could not compel the municipality to act, he said, but could escalate the matter to the Presidency and, if necessary, Parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts.Hlabisa similarly told Parliament that neither his department nor the SIU had been formally advised of decisions or progress relating to disciplinary proceedings, suspensions or consequence management.‘A certain outcome’Tukela Zumani, who opened the criminal case that led to the SIU investigation and is now leader of the Mayibuye Civic Movement, criticised the municipality’s decision to appoint an external law firm.“The municipality has always been known to use the legal department to shove issues under the carpet or to present outcomes that are suitable for a certain agenda,” Zumani said.“The fact that the SIU has made its recommendations … recommendations made by a law enforcement institution are not typically subjected to the interrogation of a private law firm,” he said.According to Zumani, the SIU’s recommendations should instead have been taken directly to the council for consideration and a resolution.Leader of the Mayibuye Civic Movement in Nelson Mandela Bay Tukela Zumani. (Photo: Supplied / Facebook) “The municipal council either supports and acts on those recommendations or they don’t support and disregard those recommendations,” he said.He said that appointing a third party was consistent with what he described as the municipality’s previous handling of contentious matters.“So whatever it is that the law firm would have been told to achieve, they will definitely achieve it,” Zumani said.He said the council should have discussed and “ventilated” the SIU report and adopted a resolution on how its recommendations would be implemented.Long-running streetlight sagaThe SIU investigation stems from allegations surrounding the metro’s streetlight and floodlight tenders.In 2024, Zumani, then a Defenders of the People councillor, opened a criminal case concerning the tenders.An internal municipal report had identified about R24-million in irregular expenditure linked to streetlight contracts.In July 2024, President Cyril Ramaphosa issued a proclamation authorising the SIU to investigate alleged maladministration and corruption involving the tenders.By January 2026, Hlabisa told Parliament that the SIU had uncovered alleged fraud, contraventions of anti-corruption laws and irregular municipal procurement involving 21 officials and three companies.Nelson Mandela Bay motorists are still in the dark over schedules and timelines to fix broken streetlights. (Photo: Deon Ferreira) The SIU subsequently told Parliament in March that 21 municipal officials and 20 contractors had been referred for criminal and civil action.It also recommended the blacklisting of nine service providers and their directors.The SIU indicated that it intended to approach the Special Tribunal to have contracts set aside and recover about R35-million.In January, DA councillor Ondela Kepe tabled a motion calling for the immediate suspension of implicated officials and the recovery of money allegedly lost through the tenders. The motion was rejected by the council.A special council meeting was eventually held behind closed doors on 17 April to consider the SIU’s findings.Councillors including Kepe and ACDP councillor Lance Grootboom called for the names of implicated officials to be disclosed, arguing that secrecy could allow alleged wrongdoing to continue.Mayor Babalwa Lobishe also confirmed that the external legal team had begun its work. DM