Eastern Cape ‘failing its people,’ says Ramaphosa in scathing assessment

By Thapelo Molefe

President Cyril Ramaphosa has criticised poor governance and service delivery in the Eastern Cape, saying that despite public and private investment, entrenched mismanagement, corruption, and crumbling infrastructure continue to hinder the province’s development, especially at the municipal level.

Ramaphosa and members of his Cabinet met on Wednesday with Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane and his executive council at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha.

The meeting formed part of Ramaphosa’s two-day oversight visit to the province, which began with a high-level briefing by Transnet officials at the Port of Ngqura — one of South Africa’s newest deep-water ports, situated near the Coega Special Economic Zone (SEZ).

“We must be concerned when we see the collapse of services and the deterioration of infrastructure in our metros, cities and towns. We must be concerned at the sight of pensioners being forced to cross raging rivers in drums because