Business leaders get Pretoria pledge

PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma has promised to come with a high-powered delegation of ministers to Nelson Mandela Bay this month to tackle the infrastructure crisis which has seen some major employers suffer millions of rands in losses.

Zuma made the promise during an hour-long meeting with Bay Business Chamber president Mandla Madwara and chief executive Kevin Hustler at the president’s official residence in Pretoria on Tuesday.

The two had asked for a meeting with Zuma to highlight challenges in the metro’s governance and those affecting businesses.

The Bay has an infrastructure backlog of about R4.2-billion.

Other problems include high electricity tariffs which have seen companies struggling to compete globally. The infrastructure problems often cause power outages, making some businesses unable to operate efficiently.