The only way to begin to remove corruption from Joburg is to vote the ANC out.
Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s threat to cut national government funding for Joburg unless the city cleans up its finances is no solution.
Nor would placing South Africa’s biggest, richest city under administration be the answer. But these could be stop-gap measures.
Mayor Dada Morero is under pressure, not only from residents, but also from national and provincial government, opposition parties and rivals within the ANC.
The minority parties in his government of local unity are demanding that disastrous former mayor Thapelo Amad become finance MMC. Can you imagine?
Five months ago, Cyril Ramaphosa established a presidential Johannesburg working group to “strengthen governance and financial sustainability” and improve service delivery.
Two months ago, Morero announced a “bomb squad”, borrowing from the Springbok rugby tactic of bringing on high-impact players to ensure success.
The role of Morero’s bomb squad is less clear than that of Ramaphosa’s presidential working group.
Neither has authority to spend ratepayers’ money or give instructions to Joburg officials.
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In rugby, bomb squad members replace teammates on the field. Not so with Morero’s squad. Players stay on. Field gets crowded.
The bomb squad and the presidential working group have been bypassing elected ward councillors and engaging with residents’ associations and other stakeholders.
It’s an odd set-up whose legality and effectiveness remain under scrutiny.
Trying to get things done for my community, I have reached out to the bomb squad for help with fixing the Blue Bridge across the Braamfontein Spruit.
Since this bridge was damaged during March storms, I have used formal correspondence, council questions, a petition, posters, information tables and face-to-face encounters, including with a recently removed MMC.
None of these was fruitful. However, a bomb squad member with engineering and executive background seems to have broken the logjam.
I’m optimistic. If the Blue Bridge is fixed after bomb squad prompting, it will be a win for Morero’s team.
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To his credit, Morero has also in recent weeks been visible in trying to ensure that our rates-rich, chronically underserviced region B receives overdue attention.
However, none of this will spare him the harsh Treasury spotlight accompanying Godongwana’s warning letter.
We are told there is a mayoral response but it’s difficult to imagine a convincing comeback from: “… The municipality closed the 2023-24 annual financial year with a cumulative consolidated figure of R1 450 589 242 in unauthorised expenditure, R22 231 361 642 in irregular expenditure and R705 408 949 in fruitless and wasteful expenditure.
“The 2023-24 audited annual financial statements also show that there has been little to no action taken by the municipality to address this.”
What auditors call unauthorised, irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure may include corruption.
There is massive corruption in Joburg. That’s the core issue. We have yet to see if the bomb squad or presidential working group have the gumption to tackle corruption, the glue that binds the ANC.
Whistle-blowers are endangered. The Sunday Times says at least 148 local officials have been assassinated countrywide since 2018.
The only way to begin to remove corruption from Joburg is to vote the ANC out. Dissolve council, place Joburg under administration.
Hold elections in 90 days. Let a fresh council begin to fix Joburg.
