The role of the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality in allevaiting poverty in the Walmer Township

After 17 years of democratic freedom, South Africa is faced with a variety of challenges. Such challenges include crime, which is driving South African professionals of all ethnic groups to emigrate, discourages foreign investments and hampers growth; the spread of HIV/AIDS and unemployment which is steadily increasing. The country also inherited vast inequalities in education, health and basic infrastructure such as access for safe water, sanitation and housing (Hoogeveen and Ozler 2006, p.2). According to the Education and Training Unit for Democracy and Development (ETU), South Africa has a small wealthy population and a medium sized middle income and poor populations. There is a big difference between the wealthy and the poor people and if one looks at it, it looks like we have two nations, developed and developing living side by side in one country. This report will look at the role of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality in alleviating poverty in one of its critically distressed wards, the Walmer Township near the Port Elizabeth Airport. Even though welfare is national and provincial government’s role, municipalities are expected by the government to play a developmental role. The findings of this report revealed that the problem of poverty is still a challenge in the metro and a review of the current policies was advised and involving the people living in poverty in the processes