Dead robots, dirty Ubers and high hopes — getting to the rugby on time

Getting to the rugby on time to see the Springboks take on Italy on Saturday might be difficult as spectators will have to navigate myriad dead traffic lights, road closures and potentially dodgy e-hailing vehicles.

It has been four years since the last Springbok rugby game was hosted at the stadium, so for those who need it, a quick refresher on the rugby rules by Daron Mann can be found here.

If you already know all there is to know, read Jon Cardinelli’s preview of the clash. 

Kick-off time

Kick-off time is at 5.10pm and the match ends at 7.30pm. Gqeberha-born Belinda Davids will sing the South African national anthem before the starting whistle.

Gate times

On Thursday, the municipality sent out a notice that several roads around Nelson Mandela Bay would be closed from 9am on Saturday and would reopen only from 11pm. According to information provided by the municipality, the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium will open its gates at 11am and close at 10pm.

Robots

None of the traffic lights near the stadium work. We drove from the Settlers Freeway and found that every traffic light between the arterial route and the stadium was out of order. Most traffic lights along Govan Mbeki Avenue were dead and functioned as four-way stops.

Nelson Mandela Bay metro spokesperson Sithembiso Soyaya said that should the traffic lights be fixed on Friday, they would be vandalised by match day. 

On Thursday morning, contractors could be seen working on power lines along Gqeberha’s main street; however, there was no indication whether these lines powered the traffic lights.

Read more: After four years, the Boks are back in Gqeberha for a Test with deep local roots

The nearest functioning traffic lights to the stadium were at the intersection of Mount Road and Govan Mbeki Avenue, 1.5km away. However, the traffic lights on either side of the crossing were not operational.

General power supply

While the metro is fast becoming known for its power outages, the municipality sent out a statement saying that it had deployed the Rapid Response Task Team after a faulty electrical pole in Sydenham was identified.

According to the statement, the pole “posed a risk to the area’s electricity supply”. “In response, the Electricity and Energy Department acted promptly to repair the fault and restore stable power to the area. Their swift intervention ensured that the much-anticipated Castle Lager Incoming Series test match could proceed without disruption,” the statement said.

Road closures

Nelson Mandela Bay communications director Sithembiso Soyaya said the following roads would be closed on Saturday from 9am:

• Prince Alfred Road between Milner Avenue and Quick Street;
• Milner Avenue between Stebonheath Street and Sydenham Road; and
• Fettes Road between York Road and Stockelbach Street (stadium side)

Traffic officials

Forty traffic and metro police personnel will be deployed on the day, including 27 officers on point duty.

The Metro Police will deploy 15 officers focused specifically on enforcing municipal by-laws and supporting crime prevention operations. In addition, a municipal tow truck will be on standby to immediately remove any illegally parked vehicles causing obstruction.

“Public safety is our top priority. We are committed to creating a safe, welcoming environment for both residents and the thousands of visitors expected in the city. Events like these boost our local economy and reinforce our reputation as a premier sporting destination,” Executive Mayor Babalwa Lobishe said.

Read more: Springboks’ return to Gqeberha sparks pride, nostalgia — and a playful Rassie Erasmus

Tickets

No tickets will be available at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium ticket office. Tickets are still available through the Ticketmaster website. By Thursday afternoon, there were 1,000 tickets left.

Uber, or other e-hailing services

Designated drop-off and pick-up zones for taxis, e-hailing services and buses will be located in North Street between Innes Street and Bagshaw Street, with the New Law Courts parking area serving as the official pick-up and drop-off point for Uber and metered taxis.

Concerns have been raised, however, about the state of e-hailing vehicles in Nelson Mandela Bay. In a letter addressed to Uber, the CEO of the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber, Denise van Huyssteen, wrote: “We have received numerous complaints from business people who have highlighted that there appears to be no quality control over the standard of Uber operators in Nelson Mandela Bay.

“In particular, it seems that there is no moderation over the quality of Uber vehicles, which are often in a poor state of repair, and not compliant with safety standards (lights not working, lack of seatbelts, dings and damage to vehicle etc). This not only reflects poorly on the image of Uber, but also that of our metro to domestic and international business visitors and tourists.

Apart from the influx of rugby fans, Van Huyssteen also highlighted that the Naacam Show would be held in the Bay during the week of 11 August 2025, and SA Automotive Week would follow during the week of 29 September 2025, resulting in significantly increased use of Uber over this period by visitors who would come from around the country, and other parts of the world.

She has not received a response. Neither has Daily Maverick. Daily Maverick journalist Nkosazana Ngwadla took a few Ubers from her home to the airport, the stadium and to Summerstrand.

This is what she found: 

Uber 1: If you’re going to request an Uber from around the Pinelands area, prepare for a long wait. And when you are finally connected to a driver, he might just ask where you’re going before actually making his way to you.

“That’s because you people who live in these apartments are too lazy to walk to the mall, now I must drive far just for a trip that is not even R30,” the driver explained.  His Renault Kwid was in an acceptable state. 

Uber 2: When you’re at the airport, you’ll have many Ubers readily available for you – it’s a hot spot, naturally. However, this driver was not very friendly, and his vehicle had dents and a windscreen that looked like it had taken too many of life’s hard knocks.

His boot, when he finally agreed to open it due to safety concerns, was filled with all kinds of personal belongings, including a 5-litre bottle with yellow liquid inside it. You decide for yourself what that might’ve been. This experience begs the question: given that he was picking me up from the airport, where would all my luggage go if I had any?

Uber 3: Summerstrand is also an Uber hot spot, with an average two minutes’ waiting time. This vehicle had a few forgiveable dents. The fuel light was on, but the driver said that it was not an issue – “it happens all the time”. 

Uber 4:  The final Uber was a pleasure. His driving was fine, the vehicle looked and smelled good, and the driver was very friendly and professional. He even had sweets and hand sanitiser on hand for his customers. 

Drunken driving and other shenanigans

Metro Police Commissioner Andrew Moses said they were looking forward to an exciting weekend.

“We are ready for the engagements. We have been meeting with SA Rugby daily with regard to the safety protocols for the event. We take this event very seriously. We will be doing high preventative patrols outside the perimeter of the stadium. We will be dealing with crowds. We will also check on open fires and the illicit sale of tickets.

“We want our communities to be safe when arriving. If you are driving to the game, make sure your vehicle is in a roadworthy condition. Don’t arrive drunk,” he said. “Please do not consume alcohol and then leave the stadium. We will be out in full force.

“We do not want to arrest people for drinking and driving – but we will be there … to look after you and make sure you get home safely. We take safety very seriously. Do not do anything that will compromise the enjoyment of the game. Adhere to the by-laws of the city,” he said. DM