Is Morero protecting corrupt officials? — ACDP backs DA’s motion of no confidence

The African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) says it will support a proposed motion of no confidence vote against Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero.

The party is the first to publicly come out in support of the DA’s proposed motion to remove Morero.

Speaking on Sunday, ACDP councillor Norman Mkhonza said Morero had made a number of questionable decisions that have left doubt on his ability to lead.

This includes the appointment of former Johannesburg Property Company CEO, Helen Botes as Chief Operating Officer (COO) earlier this year.

Botes has been implicated in Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) corruption, with damning findings by the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) proclamation R23 of 2020.

She was also implicated in retired judge Sisi Khampepe’s report on the Usindiso building fire in 2023 that killed at least 76 people. Khampepe recommended that the Joburg Property Company’s board act against Botes “for the total disregard of managing the Usindiso building, despite knowledge of its disastrous state of affairs since at least 2019”.

The DA later laid culpable homicide charges against her over the matter.

The ACDP questions why action has not been taken against Botes, and whether she is being artificially protected.

“We now know that the outgoing executive mayor was behind her promotion, but why, we don’t know,” he said.

Mkhonza said the position of COO calls for someone with a track record of integrity and professionalism and good ethics.

“Not someone who managed a building where 76 people died in a fire made inevitable by neglect,” Mkhonza said.

Will Morero achieve his priorities?

Mkhonza said he believed that Morero would also not achieve the targets that he set for himself at his State of the City Address (SOCA).

“On revenue collection: the debtor’s book is now sitting at an estimated R62 billion, and he is still speaking about a war room that has not done anything tangible since his inauguration. The city now relies more on loan funding,” he said.

DA guns for Dada

The DA had cited several reasons for proposing a motion of no confidence against Moero, including the protection of alleged corrupt officials.

It also alleged maladministration, unfair service delivery in different communities, and a number of lawsuits facing the municipality.

The party’s caucus leader, Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku, told The Citizen that Morero is complicit in flouting governance laws and attempting to extend the contracts of senior managers who have been in acting positions for more than three months.

“Despite the DA raising concerns in Council, a resolution was passed on 8 May 2025 that attempts to retroactively approve and extend the acting terms of seven senior officials — including the Acting City Manager. These appointments have already exceeded the legal three-month limit and are now without any lawful basis,” he said.

ALSO READ: DA lays criminal charges against City of Johannesburg top officials

Charges against Botes dropped

Responding to the allegations against Botes, the City of Johannesburg said a legal opinion cleared her of all corruption allegations.

“As a result, the JPC Board resolved to drop all the charges against the CEO, in view of the legal advice it had obtained.

“To the best of our knowledge, the letter the JPC Board addressed to the SIU, in 2022, records the JPC Board’s considered view on the matter,” the city said.

Meanwhile, ANC co-convenor in Gauteng, Panyaza Lesufi, told reporters at the SOCA that the DA did not have the numbers to eject Morero from his position.

It is still not clear on what day the motion against Morero will take place.

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