New Joburg mayor, same decrepitude, say leaders

Johannesburg has ushered in its 11th mayor since 2016, Dada Morero, following the welcome exit of Al Jamah-ah’s Kabelo Gwamanda, regarded as a puppet mayor who accomplished little.

With the city firmly in the grip of coalition chaos, Morero’s early promises of action are being met with scepticism. Will he break the cycle of ineffective leadership, or is he destined to become just another fleeting face in the city’s revolving door of mayors?

For now, hope remains overshadowed by doubt. This especially following his early announcement that residents shouldn’t expect big improvements in his tenure.

Morero has often been seen donning a keffiyeh and chanting, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”, dutifully following the African National Congress (ANC) party line over the Middle East and its anti-Israel stance. Some commentators have asked whether he cares as much for the residents of the city, with its population of more than six million grappling with a multitude of challenges, as he does for those thousands of kilometres away.

Karen Milner, the national chairperson of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies, said Johannesburg Jewish residents, like all other citizens of Johannesburg, would like to see Morero put the interests of this city first.

“It should be clear that the ANC’s national stance of putting the Palestinian cause above the needs of ordinary South Africans is out of touch with what all citizens want. This is even more the case at local level. We hope that Morero, despite his utterances that nobody should expect anything from him and his team during his tenure, will work towards restoring Johannesburg as the economic hub of the country. Hopefully, he’ll work at creating an environment in which all its inhabitants can thrive, with access to clean water, electricity, efficient service delivery, and no corruption. Rather than alienate the Jewish community, we encourage Morero to reach out to us to forge partnerships that result in a better city for all.”

Ann Bernstein, the executive director of the Centre for Development and Enterprise, remains sceptical.

“South Africa’s largest cities like Johannesburg are central for growth and inclusion. They need to be cities of hope and expanding opportunity for everybody and especially the poor. The new mayor in Johannesburg, together with the same team in place as the previous mayor, does not bode well for the city. It’s hard to see  the same group of people who  have allowed Johannesburg to deteriorate so much will have the vision, determination, and expertise to turn this city around,” she said.

“Johannesburg, and its precipitous decline, is a national issue of enormous concern. This is the country’s window to the world. We should be the most important, dynamic, and prosperous city on the sub-continent, not a dirty metropolis in decline. The city needs real leadership and executives who are able to develop a new vision and action plan to fix Johannesburg.”

Echoing this sentiment, Jack Bloom, the member of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature representing the Democratic Alliance, said he had low expectations of Morero, whom he said was the puppet master for the previous mayor.

“Little has changed,” Bloom said.

“He won’t act against incompetent ANC cadres in the administration, or break up the criminal syndicates which feed off the city coffers. Premier Panyaza Lesufi didn’t follow the Government of National Unity route because it would disrupt the ANC’s patronage and corruption networks, and the same applies to Johannesburg,” he said.

“Ideally, a mayor should focus on basic services provided cost-effectively, and implement a vision that attracts businesses to create the jobs needed for a flourishing city. Hospitals and most clinics are a provincial function. The city should concentrate on environmental health by cleaning up the city and cutting pollution.”

Johannesburg city councillor Daniel Schay of the Democratic Alliance has limited faith.

“The massive corruption and cadre deployment and other ills are going to continue to the detriment of the residents of the city and especially the poor,” he said.

As Schay pointed out, there seems to be little confidence in the new mayor’s ability to deliver results. “The mayor himself indicated that no significant progress should be expected in the next two years, further reinforcing the belief that a mere change in mayorship isn’t enough to resolve the deep-rooted issues of corruption and poor governance.

“The city needs a mayor to provide political, strategic leadership. Morero has already been in control of the city for more than a year behind the scenes, acting through a puppet mayor. Joburg needs fresh elections to allow for the residents to select a new capable government that will put them and their needs first,” he said.

Earlier this week, Morero was forced to withdraw his proposal to hire legally documented foreign nationals to boost the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police’s crime fighting capacity.

Last weekend, Morero said that the city might have to consider recruiting qualified and properly documented foreign nationals to assist with bridging the language barriers when foreign nationals are arrested.

But the proposal was swiftly shot down by his own ANC and other parties in the metro following a backlash.

Morero made the remarks during the ANC lekgotla over the weekend.

On Monday, during a briefing in Joburg, Morero apologised for his comments.

“I withdraw my proposal, and apologise for the anxiety it might have caused to the residents of Johannesburg and the people of South Africa,” he said.