Nelson Mandela Bay Deputy Mayor, Biks Ndoni, says they're collectively tasked with an important responsibility of accelerating the delivery of housing and sustainable communities in the Metro.
Ndoni was speaking at the opening of a two day workshop where the Metro's housing dispensation will be explained to housing contractors.
They've been complaining about being left out of the loop when it came to housing contracts.
The workshop will also culminate in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on Tuesday with the Minister of Human Settlements, Lindiwe Sisulu.
In his address on Monday, Deputy Mayor Ndoni said that recent visits to the Metro by President Jacob Zuma points to the kind of attention that it is getting from national and provincial government.
"We have been getting a number of ministers coming here with the sole purpose of assisting us moving forward. We indeed don't take that for granted as both leaders and ordinary citizens of this metro."
Meanwhile, Ndoni spoke of the housing backlog and the illegal sale of RDP houses as issues compounding the delivery of housing to beneficiaries in Nelson Mandela Bay.
He said when the political leaders meet communities they also without fail raise issue relating to housing delivery.
Deputy Mayor Ndoni said the bucket toilet system is still in operation in many communities while services that people are receiving, like refuse removal, are intermittent.
He also noted that people who are on the housing list are often displaced by those who are able to jump the queue.
"It is a well known fact that in this city you can get an RDP house quickly by paying a bribe. I am not sure what the going rate is for an RDP house now, but this is simply scandalous that we are subjecting our people who have trusted and voted us into power to this sort of behaviour." said Ndoni.
