NMB council cancels maintenance budget for R6m ‘Loerbroer’ surveillance vehicle

Once a cutting-edge tool in the fight against crime, Nelson Mandela Bay’s multimillion-rand surveillance vehicle has been parked and out of action for nearly five years.

With its repair budget now removed, experts warn that vandalism and cable theft could continue unchecked, affecting both municipal services and local businesses.

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February 26, 2026

At a council meeting on Thursday, R1.5-million previously earmarked to maintain the mobile surveillance vehicle (MSV) — nicknamed “Loerbroer” by DA councillor Gustav Rautenbach — was removed from the 2025/2026 adjustment budget.

Acting executive director for safety and security Shadrack Sibiya, whose department has spent just 5% of its capital budget thus far, said that despite the budget adjustment, there was still funding available to maintain the vehicle. The hi-tech vehicle is in Gauteng for repairs.

The city bought the MSV in 2010, before the Fifa World Cup, for R6-million. The vehicle was intended to enhance safety during the tournament and for continued use afterwards, including safeguarding municipal infrastructure.

‘Loerbroer’ surveillance vehicle

The municipality’s MSV was designed to help, among other things, detect crimes such as cable theft and vandalism.

The vehicle, the first of its kind in South Africa, is equipped with 360° long-range surveillance technology that can operate day and night in all weather conditions, detect a person walking from up to 10km away and identify someone carrying a firearm from about 3km away.

“You could drive in bushes, in pitch dark. No one could see it, but whoever was inside could see everything,” said Rautenbach, a member of the safety and security committee.

Teams used the vehicle to patrol highways and remote areas, often working with police to catch cable thieves in the act, he said.

“When the vehicle was purchased, it was also at a time when vandalism and cable theft were already starting to increase, [something] that cost the city millions,” Rautenbach said.

“This was the best investment for safety and security. It was the best R6-million that was ever spent,” he said.

Rautenbach said the MSV helped secure several arrests and was also used to monitor damaged pylons and other difficult-to-reach infrastructure.

Years out of operation

According to Rautenbach, the surveillance vehicle has been out of commission for about five years.

As early as 2022, councillors had questions about the vehicle’s whereabouts, but no one had been forthcoming. Rautenbach says he, after doing some “homework”, eventually located it, parked at the Harrower Road depot.

“The Loerbroer was beautiful from the inside and the outside. I was told that the main camera was faulty and that the software was outdated,” he said.

The three-member team that managed and operated the MSV were “unable to fulfil their core function, which was to operate the Loerbroer”.

Municipal reports between 2021 and 2022 repeatedly flagged mechanical and software problems and warned about the lack of a maintenance budget.

Budget controversy

Sibiya said the vehicle was in Pretoria for repairs. However, it remains unclear when the MSV was sent for repairs or when it is expected to return.

Councillors, according to Rautenbach, were told a service provider had estimated the repair cost at about R1.5-million – the same amount removed from the adjustment budget.

Rautenbach criticised the decision to scrap the funding.

“It is shocking. Nelson Mandela Bay is one of the most dangerous metros in the country. I believe the increase in vandalism and cable theft is partly because the MSV is no longer operational,” he said.

Sibiya insisted there was no cause for concern and said funding for the repairs was still available.

“As the MSV is considered a camera, we will use the Safer City project budget – which covers camera maintenance to fund repairs and upkeep,” he said.

Better surveillance needed, says chamber

Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber CEO Denise van Huyssteen said ongoing vandalism of municipal infrastructure – including electrical substations and water and sanitation pump stations – had a severe impact on businesses across the metro.

Van Huyssteen has called for stronger protection of infrastructure, including improved surveillance and monitoring at key substations and pump stations.

“The vandalism of critical municipal infrastructure has a severe impact on the operations of small and large businesses across all sectors,” she said.

Disruptions to electricity and water supply can halt production and cause significant financial losses.

“The disruption of water and electricity supply causes factories to stop, customer and production orders not to be met, scrap and wastage, and overall increased cost of doing business,” Van Huyssteen said.

She warned that the consequences could include short-time work shifts, retrenchments and even business closures.

“Vandalism is a very serious crime, which should be viewed as economic sabotage due to the severity of its impact on the local economy,” she said.

Underspending ‘symptom of poor leadership’

Lawrence Troon, Good party councillor and member of the safety and security committee, said underspending in the department was a sign of poor leadership.

“It is time for someone else to be brought in to manage the department,” he said.

“There are millions of rands allocated to that department that must be spent. In the past eight months, the department has spent only about 5% of its budget. It is concerning.” DM