Route 67 shows how Nelson Mandela Bay gets in its own way

There’s an old saying – “the devil is in the detail”. And it’s no different when it comes to socio-economic development. Nelson Mandela Bay is praised for its potential, has many plans, but is stuck in a cycle of underdelivering on people’s expectations.

Our plans are stuck in what urban planners call the implementation gap. It’s that persistent disconnect between visionary goals and policies, master plans designed on paper, and what happens on the ground during practical implementation. 

During the 2025/26 cruise ship season, 59,000 tourists visited our region from vessels docking at Port Elizabeth. But the vast majority visit our game parks and other nature-based attractions outside the city. Very few visit the historic heart of the city. 

It’s not as if Central is short of plans, or the products constructed from the plethora of the master plans we’ve had over the years. Nelson Mandela Bay carries the name of the most recognised, respected and iconic person in modern human history.

Millions of rand were spent on developing Route 67 as a self-guided heritage trail that showcases 67 public art works. The works recognise Mandela’s 67 years of political life dedicated to the struggle for democracy in South Africa.

What’s going wrong with Route 67?

Today, most of the former splendour of Route 67 is inaccessible because of crime, grime, vandalism and products not meeting the needs of tourists. Simply put, our city centre has some of the most remarkable products in the world, but they’re not working. So, what’s going wrong? 

I can only speak from my experiences with the Friends of the Main Public Library. They’re a volunteer support group trying to get the library permanently reopened and do justice to the library’s heritage significance.

The library has been closed for renovations since 2014, with the first phase having been completed in 2019. Since 2019, every year, the budget for the second phase of renovations that would enable reopening is mysteriously diverted.

And for each year delayed, the gains of the 2019 renovations regress. The politicians blame the government officials, and the officials blame the politicians. We’re encouraged by indications that renovations are imminent, but whether the outcomes will deliver results remains to be seen.

Since October 2023, we’ve been opening the library to visitors from cruise ships. Those that visit the library love it. But they’re equally fearful of the broader area owing to the safety briefings aboard the vessels.

And rightfully so, as there have been numerous muggings and bad experiences that have placed a blight on the city’s name. Some have even told us that we should not be opening for tourists, and that’s plain wrong. Tourism creates jobs, and as matters currently stand, if you strip away the library, there’d be nothing safe to visit in the city centre. 

Demand from tourists

In December 2025, word got out among locals that the library opens when the cruise ships are in port. On one sunny Sunday, 2,000 locals and a smattering of tourists from the ship descended on the library.

Since then, we’ve managed public demand by hosting tours, and the response has been remarkable. Since December 2025, we’ve had 7,000 people participate in the free tours, all fully booked and unanimously positive on trip reviews.

It’s an undeniable fact, locals love the inspiration, memories, stories and people of the library. And in keeping with international trends, people are rediscovering the undeniable benefits of hard-copy books in an iconic building with remarkable stories to be experienced. 

More recently, businesses and civil society have turned their attention to addressing the implementation deficit. The objective is simple: close the implementation gap between the original master plans and public expectations from the tourist route between the Campanile and the Donkin – the core of Route 67.

A small walk revealed astonishingly simple fixes, attainable with minimal expenditure, yet paralysed by interdepartmental government inertia. Municipal top management was invited well in advance; they accepted, but never arrived – with no apology tendered – and we started the walk in City Hall.

The fixes are well known to the municipal and Mandela Bay Development Agency officials who did arrive, but they cannot get fixed without top management support for collaboration – a classic Catch 22. 

In the space of an hour the challenges were clearly identified. Tourists need toilets – the Campanile has none, those for Vuyisile Mini Square have been closed since 2020, and the Donkin’s toilets have been broken for the past year.

The Campanile lift hasn’t worked for three years, directional signage points tourists to the most dangerous areas of Central, and basic maintenance of historical plaques and signage is absent.

Security guards are not communicating, paving is not being repaired, and the cooperation to enhance safety and security is not taking place. Landscaping services are either inappropriate or non-existent, basic maintenance of artwork has not been undertaken, and some of the most significant monuments are in a state of disrepair.

In total, 70 simple interventions can be made in a short period of time, with minimal financial outlay, that can transform Route 67 into a safe, clean and functional tourism space within weeks – before the next cruise ship arrives. 

Collaboration does not take place in meetings where parties avoid responsibility. Collaboration is forged through actions that close the implementation gap. For that to take place, commitment is needed from all parties.

From what I’ve seen, business is willing, civil society is ready, but the government is absent. And if government absence continues, we can only hope that their politicians are severely punished at the ballot box. DM