‘The City Is Collapsing’: Residents Slam Joburg Mayor’s Address

Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero delivered his State of the City Address on 7 May with bold declarations of transformation, but residents say they’ve heard it all before. From promises of infrastructure renewal to plans for economic revival, many feel the speech was yet another performance in a city where little changes on the ground.

Despite Morero’s confident tone, public reaction was anything but hopeful. Citizens across Johannesburg say the mayor’s vision is disconnected from the daily struggles they face—rising crime, decaying infrastructure, and unreliable services that have become the norm.

“I remember a time when walking from Jeppestown to Hillbrow felt safe,” said Lulama Dlamini, 69, from Soweto. “Now, the city I loved is unrecognisable. The mayor needs to focus on crime before anything else.”

Dlamini’s comments echoed a broader sentiment from Johannesburg residents, many of whom see political leadership as the root of the city’s decline. “Stop telling us all big cities have crime. That’s not true,” she said. “Johannesburg has been destroyed by politicians like Morero.”

City of Broken Promises

Kgomotso Malefane from Soweto told Daily Maverick the city no longer feels like home. “It feels like a foreign country,” she said. “The streets are filthy, heritage sites are now shelters, and illegal migrants and criminals have taken over.”

Another resident, Elizabeth Nthate from Leratong, believes the city needs a political overhaul. “We need the DA to lead Johannesburg. The ANC has ruined it, and maybe now they’ll learn a lesson,” she said. “Mandela’s party has lost its way.”

Public frustration is not just about neglect—it’s about being constantly misled. “These speeches are meaningless,” said Gift Mahlangu, 33, from Braamfontein. “Every year, they announce massive projects, but nothing ever changes on the ground.”

Cracks in the System

Many residents pointed to visible failures—potholes, broken street lights, unreliable water and electricity supply—as proof of a city in collapse. “Johannesburg Water and Rand Water can’t cope. Everything is broken,” said Mahlangu.

Marlin Karoida from Lenasia added, “We need answers. Why do our townships run out of water? When will cable theft stop? When will the police stop being part of the problem?”

His frustration turned to resignation. “The city has been destroyed by people who didn’t care about maintaining infrastructure. Instead, they looted public money. I wash my hands of it all.”

Political Instability Fuels Collapse

Residents blamed the city’s rapid leadership changes for stalled progress. “There’s no stability,” said Nkosingphile Mhlongo from Jeppestown. “Mayors don’t last. Even if one starts a project, the next won’t finish it.”

The Democratic Alliance (DA) recently submitted motions of no confidence in Mayor Morero and Speaker Nobuhle Mthembu of ActionSA. While the motions are unlikely to succeed, DA caucus leader Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku warned: “The economic heart of South Africa is falling apart.”

With community faith in leadership at an all-time low, Morero’s grand plans face a credibility crisis. For residents, recovery begins not with speeches, but with real action.

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Sourced:Daily Maverick

Picture: Gallo Images / Fani Mahuntsi