This is Joburg’s new government

The City of Johannesburg has a new mayor at the helm of the country’s economic hub – the African National Congress’ (ANC’s) Dada Morero.

Morero, who is heading the city’s 10th administration since the 2016 local government elections and sixth this term, was elected by fellow councillors on 16 August 2024 – beating the Democratic Alliance’s (DA’s) Joburg caucus leader, Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku, 189 votes to 60.

He was elected with the backing of the ANC, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), ActionSA, Patriotic Alliance (PA) and other minority parties.

These backers (except for ActionSA) are forming part of another coalition labeled a ‘Government of Local Unity’ – whose composition is different to the ANC’s coalitions at a national level, and in KwaZulu-Natal.

This is Morero’s second time as the city’s number one, after a 25-day stint in 2022 was cut short when a court has ruled that former mayor Mpho Phalatse’s (first) ousting was unlawful.

His re-assent followed the resignation of Al Jama-Ah’s Kabelo Gwamanda on 13 August, who stepped down as a result of mounting pressure against him from civil society, opposition parties, as well as from those within his own coalition (largely the ANC).

ANC Gauteng secretary Thembinkosi Nciza previously cited deteriorating investor and business confidence in the country’s economic hub, which contributes almost 20% to national GDP, as the key reason for what sparked the replacement of the mayor.

ActionSA, who are the third-largest party represented in the council, were key to Morero’s assent to the mayorship.

The party long made Gwamanda’s removal, the scrapping of a R200 monthly surcharge on prepaid electricity, and the paving of the way for an ActionSA councillor to be speaker of the council as key conditions for their support of Morero.

The new mayor is seen to be keeping up his end of the bargain, having appointed speaker Margaret Arnolds (African Independent Congress) to replace him as Finance MMC, ultimately leading to her resignation as speaker.

ActionSA is expected to take over the speaker position when the council reconvenes on Wednesday.

Morero appointed former mayor Gwamanda to serve as Community Development MMC, replacing African Transformation Movement’s Lubabalo Magwentshu.

He left the rest of the executive unchanged.

The executive of Johannesburg is now:

• Finance MMC: Margaret Arnolds (AIC) 
• Group corporate & shared services: Loyiso Masuku (ANC) 
• Environment & infrastructure services: Jack Sekwaila (ANC) 
• Development planning: Eunice Mgcina (ANC) 
• Economic development: Nomoya Daphney Mnisi (ANC) 
• Public safety: Mgcini Tshwaku (EFF) 
• Health & social development: Ennie Makhafola (EFF) 
• Transport: Kenny Kunene (Patriotic Alliance) 
• Human settlements: Mlungisi Mabaso (IFP) 
• Community development: Kabelo Gwamanda (Al Jama-ah).

Morero, who served as Finance MMC in Gwamanda’s administration and is the ANC’s regional leader, said that his priority is to regain lost electoral ground by addressing numerous service delivery shortcomings that have not only impacted residents but hindered investment confidence in the city.

“The people of Johannesburg have tasked us with basic duties of ensuring that water comes out of their taps, lights come on, waste is collected, traffic lights work, buses operate efficiently, and people live in safe communities – this is not too much to ask for,” said Morero.

This new coalition shake-up is a slight reconfiguration of the previous deal clinched between the ANC and the EFF in Gauteng.

That deal saw minority parties taking up the mayoral and speaker posts while the ANC and EFF shared the mayoral committee positions – given that the two did not want to be led by one another.

However, President Cyril Ramaphosa said on 4 August that the failure of governance and the deteriorating provision of service delivery in metros like Johannesburg significantly contributed to his ANC’s steep electoral decline in the 29 May national and provincial elections.

In an interview with TV Joburg Today, Morero said the major task ahead was to turn around the country’s biggest-budget municipality “for us to be re-electable”.

“2024 requires us to listen to the people, our leadership has been disruptive since 2016,” said Morero, who added that he is confident that this time, the executive can see out the term, promising political stability.

“In the 24 months remaining [until the next local government elections in 2026] we will ensure critical issues affecting residents are responded to timeously,” he added.

He said that their focus is on infrastructure development and maintenance in areas of water and electricity. 

Morero said that Joburg is looking to court the private sector to “contribute to infrastructure development; we require them to also help us with other instruments and models we can use to raise the capital that we require.”

“We want them to play a particular role in issues of property and business and in how we position Joburg as an economic hub,” he added.

While some have welcomed the appointment of Morero, others have expressed their concerns.

“Joburg is in a dire situation. It’s crumbling by the day, and the longer we wait to deal with the leadership, the bigger this hole gets,” said Wayne Duvenage, CEO of the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA).

Duvenage said that Morero’s tenure as Finance MMC did not inspire much confidence in addressing Johannesburg’s financial issues, saying that instead of tackling the crisis directly, the administration exacerbated the situation by opting for a R2.5 billion loan, worsening the city’s financial predicament.

Read: We asked every government department for comment – this is who actually responded