‘No one’s in charge’: Chaos grips Joburg under Mayor Morero

The leadership of Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero is under intense scrutiny after a series of controversial moves that have sparked political unrest, exposed weak governance, and raised questions about the city’s ability to deliver basic services. From bizarre rotation policies to major budget blunders, Morero’s handling of the city has left coalition partners unsettled and opposition parties emboldened.

Critics say the city is spiraling out of control under Morero’s administration, with both minor mistakes and major decisions pointing to deeper dysfunction. A recent State of the City Address by the ANC mayor has triggered backlash across political lines, with many now questioning whether he still commands any real authority.

During his speech, Morero announced that Members of the Mayoral Committee (MMCs) would rotate roles every six months. He also suggested that senior managers would be shuffled in a similar fashion. These announcements were made with no clear rationale — sparking fears of instability and even sabotage of service delivery.

Analysts and political observers have labelled the move irrational, pointing out that leaders in complex portfolios need time to settle into their roles. Rotating them every few months could paralyse departments, slow down projects, and weaken accountability.

The mayor’s proposal to rotate senior municipal managers — who oversee technical and long-term infrastructure programmes — has been described as even more reckless. Such staff require consistency and deep institutional knowledge, and experts say disrupting that undermines progress.

Morero’s actions are seen by some as an attempt to weaken political rivals within his coalition, rather than a genuine governance solution. If that’s the case, he may be placing internal ANC power struggles ahead of the needs of Joburg residents.

Meanwhile, the city is still reeling from another embarrassing incident. During the presentation of the draft budget, officials included a proposed increase to the controversial R200 network fee for pre-paid electricity users, raising it to R270. After public outrage, the City claimed it was a “typo.”

This explanation has been met with skepticism, with some accusing officials of quietly trying to push the increase through and backtracking only after backlash. The incident underscores the growing perception of chaos in the city’s administration.

At the same time, political tensions in the coalition are boiling over. ActionSA failed to support the City’s adjustment budget, leading some smaller coalition parties to question whether ActionSA still belongs in the alliance. A push is now underway to remove ActionSA Speaker Nobuhle Mthembu.

This internal conflict coincides with motions of no confidence filed by the DA against both Mthembu and Morero. Smaller coalition parties, unhappy with Morero’s decisions, were reportedly not consulted on the rotation plans. This could put the ANC on shaky ground in Joburg.

The instability may even affect politics in Tshwane. If the coalition in Johannesburg collapses, there could be pressure to remove ActionSA’s mayor in Tshwane as well, showing how political moves in one metro can trigger shifts in another.

Last week, Tshwane Mayor Nasiphi Moya was criticised for taking part in a photo-op in which she personally switched off electricity to the Westkoppies Psychiatric Hospital. Critics say her decision endangered patients and staff and demonstrated poor judgment.

These growing crises — in Joburg and beyond — come at a time when the ANC is preparing for a leadership battle ahead of its 2027 national conference. If the party performs poorly in Gauteng’s metros, it could weaken regional influence and undermine the ambitions of senior figures like Deputy President Paul Mashatile.

While it’s unclear whether Morero’s decisions are strategic or simply misguided, the fallout is already being felt by residents. With political battles consuming city leadership, service delivery is likely to suffer even further in the months ahead.

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Sourced:Daily Maverick

Picture: Accord