Rodent activity across Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) is climbing in 2026, and the city's waste-collection crisis is the reason. As uncollected rubbish, illegal dumping and sewage leaks pile up across Nelson Mandela Bay, rats and mice have gained exactly what they need to breed, an endless food supply and undisturbed harbourage, and they are spilling out of the streets and into homes, restaurants and food premises nearby.
This is no longer a background nuisance. Nelson Mandela Bay has been publicly described as one of the "dirtiest cities" in the country, its 2026/27 waste-management operating budget was cut, and residents from Helenvale to the northern areas report vermin living in the refuse that the trucks are not clearing. For any household or business in the Bay, this is the year to get ahead of the rodents rather than react to them. Here is what is happening, why it matters, and how to protect your property, from ASC Pest Control, the only pest control company in South Africa owned by accredited food safety specialists.
Key takeaways
- Gqeberha's 2026 waste-collection breakdown and illegal dumping are driving a measurable rise in rats and mice across Nelson Mandela Bay.
- Nelson Mandela Bay's 2026/27 waste-management operating budget was cut to about R626 million, roughly R50 million (7.4%) less than the year before, reducing the city's ability to clear refuse and dumping hotspots.
- Uncollected waste and sewage leaks (such as reports around the Markman Canal and Swartkops area) give rodents permanent food and shelter next to homes and businesses.
- DIY poison alone fails, lasting control needs proofing, sanitation and professionally placed bait, and food premises need a documented, audit-ready IPM programme.
Why are there so many rats in Gqeberha right now?
There are more rats in Gqeberha in 2026 because the waste that normally starves them is no longer being cleared. When refuse sits uncollected and illegal dumping spreads, every pile becomes a rodent buffet and nesting site within metres of people's homes. Local reporting through 2026 has documented rubbish piling up across the metro, residents in Helenvale describing uncollected waste, foul odours and vermin as part of daily life, and the city's own waste-management operating budget being trimmed to roughly R626 million for 2026/27, about R50 million less than the previous year. Fewer trucks and less clearing means more food and harbourage for rats, and rat populations respond fast: a single pair can produce dozens of offspring a year when food is unlimited.
Sewage adds fuel to the fire. Communities in the Swartkops area have raised alarm over a suspected sewage leak into the Markman Canal, and standing effluent and damp give rodents both water and cover. The result is a city-wide reservoir of rats that pushes steadily outward into the nearest warm, food-rich buildings, which is where your home or business comes in.
What health risks do these rats carry?
Rodents are among the most dangerous pests to public health because they carry and spread disease. Rats and mice are known carriers of pathogens including Salmonella, E. coli and leptospirosis (Weil's disease), which they transmit through droppings, urine and contamination of food and surfaces. In a home that means sickness risk for your family; in a restaurant, guesthouse or food facility it means contaminated stock, failed inspections and reputational damage. Rodents also gnaw constantly, chewing through wiring, insulation and packaging and creating fire and structural risk. During a waste crisis, when rodent numbers and the pathogens they carry both rise, that risk is amplified across the whole community.
Which pests hit Port Elizabeth homes hardest?
Beyond rats and mice, the warm, humid coastal climate of the Bay keeps several pests active all year. German and American cockroaches infest kitchens, drains and roof voids and, like rodents, thrive on uncollected waste. Argentine ants (Linepithema humile) form vast colonies that stream along counters and skirtings. Fishmoths (silverfish) flourish in the coastal humidity, damaging books, documents and clothing, and mosquitoes breed in any standing water left after rain. In older harbour-side suburbs, South End, Central, North End and Sydenham, building age and proximity to the port push rodent and cockroach pressure even higher.
| Pest | Where it hits in the Bay | Primary control |
|---|---|---|
| Brown rats & house mice | Roofs, garages, near waste & dumping hotspots | Exclusion, sanitation, tamper-resistant baiting |
| German & American cockroaches | Kitchens, drains, roof voids | Gel baiting, proofing, damp control |
| Argentine ants | Skirtings, counters, gardens | Colony baiting, not trail spraying |
| Fishmoths (silverfish) | Cupboards, roofs, storerooms | Humidity control, residual treatment |
| Pigeons | Warehouse roofs, shopfronts, ledges | Proofing, netting, spiking |
How do I keep rats out of my home or business?
Keeping rats out during the waste crisis comes down to three moves: remove the food, close the door, and control what is left.
- Remove the food and harbourage. Use bins with tight-fitting lids, never leave refuse bags out overnight, and clear garden clutter, wood piles and overgrowth that give rats cover.
- Proof the building. Seal every gap larger than a pencil where pipes, cables, vents and doors enter, rodents follow warmth and food through the smallest openings. This step is what supermarket poison can never do.
- Control professionally. Tamper-resistant bait stations and monitoring, placed and serviced by registered operators, take down the population that is already active and catch new arrivals early. For food businesses this becomes a mapped, documented programme (see below).
Why not just buy poison? Because supermarket traps and poisons kill a few individuals while the entry points stay open, new rodents arrive and survivors breed, so the problem returns. Closing the cycle, proofing plus sanitation plus targeted control, is the only approach that lasts. This is the core of our residential pest elimination and commercial pest control programmes.
Pest control for Gqeberha restaurants and food businesses
For restaurants, guesthouses, retailers and food processors, the waste crisis turns a rodent sighting into a compliance emergency. Health inspectors work to Regulation R638 for food premises, and export-facing manufacturers in the Coega IDZ and Deal Party face HACCP, FSSC 22000 and BRCGS audits, all of which demand a documented, risk-based pest programme with monitoring, trend analysis and corrective actions. In a year of rising rodent pressure, "we spray now and then" is not a defensible answer to an auditor.
This is where ASC's food-safety heritage protects the Bay's businesses. Because we are owned by accredited food safety specialists, every food and beverage programme is a HACCP-designed Integrated Pest Management (IPM) system: mapped, numbered bait stations and monitors, scanned at every visit so you hold the trend, not just a snapshot, and compiled into a myASConline one-click audit pack the moment an inspector arrives. See our Eastern Cape pest control page for full regional coverage.
How to choose a pest control company in Port Elizabeth
Ask any Gqeberha contractor three questions before you sign: are your operators registered under Act 36 of 1947; do you work to SANS 10133, the national pest-management standard; and will you give me documented proof of every service? ASC answers yes to all three, as a registered-PCO, SANS 10133-aligned, food-safety-specialist-owned business, and backs it with the myASConline portal so homes and businesses alike can see exactly what was done, where and when. In a waste crisis, that evidence trail is the difference between a controlled programme and an endless cycle of call-outs.
Frequently asked questions
Why are there so many rats in Gqeberha in 2026?
Rodent activity is rising largely because of the waste-collection crisis. Nelson Mandela Bay cut its 2026/27 waste-management operating budget to about R626 million (roughly R50 million, or 7.4%, less than the year before), and residents report uncollected rubbish, illegal dumping and vermin. Uncollected waste and sewage leaks give rats permanent food and shelter, so populations grow and spill into nearby homes and businesses. Coastal humidity and mild winters keep them active all year.
How do I keep rats out of my house during the waste crisis?
Secure bins with tight lids, never leave refuse bags out overnight, and clear garden clutter. Then seal every gap larger than a pencil where pipes, cables and doors enter, because rodents follow food and shelter. Supermarket poison alone rarely works, it kills a few rats while entry points stay open and survivors breed. Lasting control combines proofing, sanitation and professionally placed tamper-resistant bait stations.
How much does pest control cost in Port Elizabeth?
It depends on the pest, property size and whether it is a once-off or a programme. Homes are a modest fixed fee; commercial and food premises are quoted after a site assessment. ASC gives a free, no-obligation assessment so the price fits your property. Call 041 004 0037 or WhatsApp 061 138 3989.
Do you offer pest control for restaurants and food businesses in Gqeberha?
Yes. As South Africa's only food-safety-specialist-owned pest control company, we deliver a HACCP-designed, audit-ready IPM programme, documented, mapped and trended, and compiled into a one-click audit pack for health inspectors and FSSC 22000 or BRCGS auditors.
Sources & further reading
Local reporting on the Nelson Mandela Bay waste and rodent situation, 2026:
- Daily Maverick, "As the waste piles up in Gqeberha, residents ask: Where are the trucks?" (June 2026).
- The Herald, "Nelson Mandela Bay: A rubbish budget for a dirty city" (June 2026).
- Daily Maverick, "'We're getting sick', 'Forgotten' NMB community raises health concerns over foul-smelling canal" (July 2026).
- News24, "Rats, rubbish and disrepair: Police minister urged to intervene at Gqeberha police barracks" (June 2026).
