MBDA Releases 2025 – 2026 Economic Impact Assessment Report

The Mandela Bay Development Agency has released the Economic Impact Assessment Report for 2025 – 2026, providing valuable insights into the precincts it serves as the operating and development arm of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality.

Since its establishment in 2003, the MBDA has played a central role in revitalising key areas across Nelson Mandela Bay through capital projects, community interventions, and cleansing, and security services in support of the municipality. The annual Economic Impact Assessment report is designed to help the Agency understand how its activities affect both the business environment and the perceptions of residents and property owners in the areas where it operates.

“This survey gives us a clear picture of how our work is shaping the precincts we serve,” MBDA Acting CEO, Mr Unati Peter. “The results show us where the Agency’s interventions are building confidence and attracting investment, and also makes it clear where challenges remain. Our teams actively use this information to make adjustments to activities and initiatives, and easily identify gaps that can be filled.” He continues: “This information is invaluable to the Agency. It helps us to understand the impact of our activities on residents and businesses, and the feedback guides us in making better decisions to strengthen urban management and improve the quality of life for people across Nelson Mandela Bay.”

Key findings in the 2025 – 2026 report:

Businesses and residents in Central report a stronger sense of trust in the area, with private investment rising. Though the North End area results show that there are several key areas of concern that need to be addressed, perceptions of the MBDA’s cleaning efforts are broadly positive in this precinct at 85% approval. The cleaning crews have made a marked impact on perceptions in Kariega as well. Last year, most residents and businesses were critical of the initiative. This year, however, 73% of respondents say that they are satisfied with visible cleansing efforts in Kariega.

Precinct overviews:

• Central stands out as a clear success story. Investment by businesses and residents has risen steadily over the last three years, while negative views about crime in the area have dropped sharply and consistently, falling 30 percentage points since 2023. Perceptions about the area’s overall cleanliness have also improved – although a lot remains to be done. The improved environmental conditions have contributed to greater confidence in Central. Cleaner, safer public spaces have likewise helped to attract more private investment which has risen by 7% in real terms since 2023.
• North End has started to decline. Reported investment has fallen sharply, dropping by 55% over the last year, mainly due to lower investment by local businesses. Negative sentiment among both businesses and residents is increasing, with crime, derelict buildings, noise, and poor lighting seen as growing concerns in the area. Some positive signs, however, are still evident. Both businesses and residents point to the MBDA as a key driver for their recent investment decisions, while positive sentiment about the MBDA’s cleaning teams, has risen by 14 percentage points since last year. These trends suggest that several core issues need to be addressed to prevent further deterioration.
• Kariega remains broadly stable, though early warning signals are evident. Lighting, landscaping and congestion levels are still viewed favourably; however, these positive views have begun to soften. This improvement demonstrates that visible service delivery interventions can rapidly influence public perceptions. Maintaining momentum will be essential to prevent gradual erosion of confidence.

The findings confirm that consistent, visible urban management strengthens confidence in Nelson Mandela Bay, and that sustained confidence supports investment. The MBDA emphasizes that these gains are not automatic; they depend on ongoing partnerships, targeted interventions, and a commitment to addressing challenges as they emerge.

The study focuses on Central, North End, and Kariega (Uitenhage), combining survey feedback with economic modelling to measure the direct and indirect impact of MBDA interventions. It captures both resident and business perspectives, offering a balanced, evidence‑based view of confidence, sentiment, and investment trends. Surveys are conducted in person, by experienced survey collectors. The respondent group is not intended to be a statistically significant sample, but rather to provide a snapshot of the view of the MBDA’s activities in the respective areas through targeted inputs.

The full 2025–2026 MBDA Economic Impact Assessment Report is available for download