Nelson Mandela Bay executive Mayor Athol Trollip has committed to replying in writing by Friday to the list of more than 40 grievances from irate residents of the city's Northern Areas.
Violent protests flared up on Monday and were marked by police having to fire teargas at individuals throwing stones and in some cases petrol bombs.
Among the issues the community is unhappy are on-going gangsterism in the northern areas and lack of opportunity for local SMME's and small business owners.
Trollip spoke to the media ahead of Municipalities launching of the 2017 Top 50 Companies Awards on Tuesday morning.
He said he addressed Northern Areas residents on Monday night and would not return there in the current climate.
"I am not going to go there and have meetings with them while they are burning tyres. They have already given us their needs and I have said that I have made an undertaking to respond to them. Our meeting last night started in a very confrontational manner, ended very well, and people even came to apologise for their unacceptable behaviour. I think it was a really good public interaction by the government".
Trollip said he felt there were hidden motives behind the protests in the Northern Areas.
"The interesting thing here is that some of the main protagonists and the people who are leading this protest arent even SMME's they are well known political activists from a certain political party. That is why I said I was not prepared to negotiate with a gun held against my head" he added.
