The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality announced on October 5, 2026, that water supply has been restored in four areas: Kamesh, Rosedale, Tiryville, and Lapland. These areas were severely impacted by electrical outages that began on September 26, 2026. According to the municipality, conditions started improving around Thursday, allowing water treatment to resume and reservoirs to refill.
The restoration of water supply in these areas comes as a relief to residents who were affected by the outages. In its previous update on Friday, the municipality had stated that teams were still troubleshooting electrical and water-supply problems, but no restoration timeframe was provided. Residents were asked to report individual water interruptions to the operations centre so that teams could investigate and address the issues.
While water supply has been restored in the four areas, reservoirs in Nelson Mandela Bay remain low. The municipality urged residents to conserve water as recovery efforts continue. Residents can report faults on 0800 20 5050 or by email to [email protected]. The municipality also assured residents that Emerald Hill, which was affected by the shortage from Elandsjagt, has started receiving water, and high-lying areas from Newton Park to Schauderville are expected to have a stable supply soon.
The water supply issues in Nelson Mandela Bay are part of a broader concern about service reliability in South Africa's metros. According to an analysis published by GroundUp and The Outlier on October 2, 2026, Nelson Mandela Bay had a higher share of households reporting water interruptions of at least two days, at 38%, compared to the combined metro figure of 30%. This highlights the need for sustained efforts to improve service delivery and infrastructure in the area.
The 2025 General Household Survey by Statistics South Africa, which was used in the analysis, provides insight into past household experiences with water interruptions. However, it does not measure the current impact of the outages. The survey's findings underscore the importance of addressing the root causes of service interruptions and ensuring that residents have access to reliable basic services.
The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality's efforts to restore water supply and address the underlying issues are ongoing. Residents are being encouraged to play a role in conserving water and reporting faults to ensure that the recovery efforts are effective and sustainable. The municipality's response to the crisis will be closely watched, as it seeks to improve service delivery and mitigate the impact of future outages.
As the recovery efforts continue, residents are advised to remain vigilant and report any further issues to the authorities. The restoration of water supply in the four areas is a positive development, but the municipality's work is far from over. With the help of residents, the municipality aims to restore full service delivery and ensure that residents have access to this essential basic service.
Key points
- Water supply restored in Kamesh, Rosedale, Tiryville, and Lapland areas of Nelson Mandela Bay.
- Reservoirs in Nelson Mandela Bay remain low, and residents are urged to conserve water.
- Nelson Mandela Bay had a higher share of households reporting water interruptions of at least two days, at 38%, compared to the combined metro figure of 30%.
