Libraries in the Buffalo City Metro are emerging as some of the city’s most functional and accessible public assets, even as a lack of resources, security concerns and patchy operations affect services at some sites.
These issues were brought into focus during the Libraries of the Future Expo at KuGompo City’s International Convention Centre held during South African Library Week.
Most of those metro libraries visited by the Daily Dispatch are in good physical condition, offering clean, organised spaces with updated collections and steady usage.
For many thousands of residents, public libraries provide free access to information, internet services and a safe study environment.
Across the metro, libraries continue to function as community hubs, providing pupils, students and job seekers with quiet spaces to study and access to online resources.
Staff at several libraries said their daily usage remained steady, particularly during school terms and exams.
The Dispatch visited the East London Central Library as well as libraries in Gompo, Beacon Bay, Mdantsane NU2 and NU14, Buffalo Flats, Braelyn and Qonce and found most of the facilities operational and structurally sound.
Shelving was orderly, buildings were generally well maintained and reading areas were being used.
However, there was a shortage of computers at some libraries, including Qonce, Buffalo Flats and Gompo.
The limited number of functioning workstations also affected access for users who rely on digital services for schoolwork, job applications and research.
The Eastern Cape government, meanwhile, is continuing with efforts to reposition libraries as digital and community learning centres.
The department of sport, recreation, arts and culture has set a target to integrate all public libraries in the province into a single system by 2030.
Sport, recreation, arts and culture MEC Sibulele Ngongo said libraries were evolving beyond their traditional role.
“Libraries … connect local knowledge with global knowledge … the past with the future, and … communities with opportunity.”
Ngongo said the province was moving towards expanding digital services, including Wi-Fi, e-learning platforms, coding spaces and AI-assisted research tools in public libraries.
The push to modernise has been reinforced by academics and information specialists, who warn that failure to adapt could result in libraries losing relevance.
It can be challenging to study at home, as there are a lot of distractions
— Ziyanda Maguma, student
In Buffalo City, some libraries, including the East London Central Library and those in Mdantsane, have begun incorporating elements of these services, though access remains uneven.
At some facilities, Wi-Fi connectivity is available, while others are still dependent on limited or outdated equipment.
Students at several libraries said the facilities played an important role in their academic work.
“It can be challenging to study at home, as there are a lot of distractions,” Ziyanda Maguma said.
Inga Hogana said libraries also provided space for group work.
“It is much safer to gather at the library, because it is more central to our homes, and the library offers more study resources for our schoolwork,” he said.
Security remains a concern. Though most libraries are fenced, there was no sign of security guards at several of the facilities visited, including Gompo and Buffalo Flats.
In January, thieves broke into the Gompo Library, stealing two computers, a Wi-Fi router and cash.
Metro spokesperson Bongani Fuzile said the municipality faced financial constraints in managing libraries.
“BCM libraries receive a R17.8m subsidy from [the sport, recreation, arts and culture department], while BCM funds the rest of the R44m budget,” he said.
He said security remained a challenge.
“Libraries are under-protected due to this unfunded mandate. Armed response contracts may be more economical than unarmed night watchmen.”
Fuzile also said there was no dedicated budget for computers.
“We purchase computers when funds are available, with [the department] assisting by supplying PCs for staff and public use,” he said.
When the Dispatch visited the Braelyn library, it was closed during operating hours, with no staff present.
Residents said the library had not been open consistently in recent weeks.
“There are days when it remains closed, and we do not know why so we have to travel to the CBD to use the library,” one person said.
The Parkside Library remains closed after repeated break-ins and arson incidents.
The rundown building is now occupied by nonprofit Good Samaritan Caregivers, which uses it as a drug rehabilitation centre and soup kitchen.
The Beacon Bay Library is equipped with a computer room and Wi-Fi donated by Vumatel, facilitated by the councillor’s office for Ward 28.
Some maintenance work has been completed at other libraries in the metro.
Plumbing upgrades have been finalised at the East London Central Library, and electrical work is continuing.
Windows at the Kidd’s Beach and Vincent libraries have been replaced.
Fuzile said further upgrades were planned.
“Upgrades at Braelyn, Gompo and Cambridge libraries are scheduled for the new financial year,” he said.
The metro’s mobile library service is not operating at present because it is undergoing maintenance.
The municipality said the service would resume once repairs were complete.
Unisa information science professor Mashilo Modiba told guests at the expo that libraries risked following the same path as other declining public services if they did not evolve.
“We need to adapt, implement so we can remain relevant,” he said, warning that without modernisation, library users might turn to fully digital alternatives.
Modiba said investment in digital systems and skilled personnel would be central to that transition, particularly as libraries began integrating artificial intelligence and open-source technologies.
He said limited budgets and a lack of specialised IT staff remained key constraints.
Ngongo outlined plans to restructure the sector, with libraries expected to fall under a single provincial system by 2030 to improve access, standardise services and ensure more equitable distribution of resources.
The plan also includes a stronger emphasis on digital access.
Officials have indicated that future library services will prioritise connectivity, with broadband rollout already under way at more than 100 sites across the province.
Sport, recreation, arts and culture spokesperson Andile Nduna said the shift formed part of a broader effort to reposition libraries within a changing knowledge economy.
“We are deliberately investing in libraries as gateways to information, skills development and economic participation, ensuring that no community is left behind in the digital age.”
He said libraries were increasingly viewed as facilities that supported access to information, technology and learning opportunities, particularly for students and young people.
The reforms, he said, would ensure libraries were responsive to evolving needs while preserving their role in providing access to knowledge.
Daily Dispatch
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