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Nelson Mandela Bay’s waste collection service remains under severe strain, with officials revealing that only a fraction of the city’s refuse fleet is operational.
Of the 66 refuse compactor trucks recorded on the municipality’s books for the 2025/2026 financial year, only 22 were operational at the end of March 2026 — an availability rate of just 34%.
However, at the beginning of June, availability dropped to just 16 municipal-owned refuse collection trucks.
The report was tabled at a public health committee last week.
Planning and contracts solid waste manager Simthembile Mbanda said the municipality had received R34m from the Urban Settlements Development Grant in the adjustment budget, adding that fleet management was in the process of procuring nine compactor trucks.
“At the beginning of the 2025/2026 financial year, we had R78.6m budgeted for, and then our projection was later R117m in terms of what we are anticipating to spend on the external hire of refuse conductor trucks.
“So, comparing that to our budget, we were looking at a deficit of R38m.”
Mbanda, however, said a revised deficit projection dropped from R38m to R10m due to the municipality hiring out fewer compactor trucks.
“What contributed to the drop in the deficit was the fact that in November, a three-year contract came to an end, and then we operated under a deviation, which only allowed us to hire 35 refuse compactor trucks instead of 42.”
Solid waste has grown its budget from R25m in 2023/2024 to R78m in 2025/2026.
Fleet management deputy director Mbulelo Velemani said the sub-directorate had removed 23 compactor trucks from the road due to breakdowns.
“I didn’t want to be reckless and remove them.
“In the next financial year, I will remove others until we’ve got a new fleet that’ll be easy to manage.”
DA councillor Annette Lovemore questioned if the city had looked into the privatisation of its refuse compactor trucks.
“We’re paying a lot of money to operators.
“Predominantly, we are using a contracted fleet.”
Ward 12 councillor Vernon Boggenpoel said relying on contractors was costing the city too much.
Ward 29 councillor Benjamin Nomnqa questioned whether the city was saving money by not using hired trucks.
Responding to Boggenpoel, Mbande said that at any given time, the municipality needs 38 trucks on the road to service the city.
“At least in the 2027/2028 financial year, we will have a stable refuse collection that we are rendering,” Mbanda said.
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