IN MY VIEW | Mid-year reflections: Recalibrating for greater impact and delivery

The end of February 2026 signalled the close of our statutory reporting cycle for the second quarter of the 2025/2026 financial year, also referred to as Mid-Terms. In the lead-up to this reporting cycle, the Mandel Bay Development Agency’s (MBDA) management drew many lessons from the newly appointed Board of Directors. Such improvements include better packaging of information to more complex industry nuances that are now being inculcated into the thought fabric of the entity’s management, the engagements with this Board have been both instructive and constructive, setting a higher tone for governance, accountability, and strategic clarity.

The mid-term presents the entity with an opportunity to analyse its performance, re-evaluate, and recalibrate operations towards the planned goals. This mid-year reflection is not merely a compliance exercise; it is a strategic pause that enables management to assess what is working well, what requires recalibration, and where additional focus is required. The entity’s operational performance is on par with projections; however, capital projects’ performance and non-financial institutional performance are lagging their targets.

Management has adopted an accelerated procurement plan to meet the desired capital goals. This intervention is aimed at fast-tracking implementation, tightening internal coordination and ensuring that procurement processes translate more swiftly into visible delivery on the ground. From entity’s 28 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), 16 out of 28 were met or overachieved equalling 57% at half year.

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While this indicates that progress is being made, it also highlights the work that still lies ahead in the second half of the financial year. In line with national and municipal priorities, EPWP work opportunities were created against a target set by the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality. These work opportunities not only contribute to short-term employment relief but also inject dignity and skills into local communities. In addition, STEMI programmes were implemented at the Nelson Mandela Bay Science and Technology Centre, in pursuit of building a pipeline of future-ready talent.

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