Ta-ta to Dada? Morero’s future as mayor on a knife edge

Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero may face adversaries beyond those in the opposition benches when his position comes under scrutiny this week.

Morero and Speaker of the Council, Nobuhle Mthembu, face motions of no confidence votes, which have been placed on the agenda for Wednesday and Thursday.

The Joburg Council will vote at the Connie Bapela chambers, where 270 councillors are expected to be part of the gathering. The DA needs 136 votes to get Morero out.

As the race toward the ANC regional elective conference in July heats up, party factions may use the opportunity to weaken Morero’s position.

They may push for a secret ballot, with DA Joburg caucus leader Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku telling The Citizen several councillors from outside the DA have approached her and want Morero removed.

“They told us that they would support the motion, but would like to remain anonymous.

“At the same time, we are aware that a day is a long time in politics, so we will see on the day,” she said.

When asked if these included members of the ANC, Kayser-Echeozonjoku refused to comment.

“Everyone who approached us requested to remain anonymous. We can’t betray the trust.”

Kayser-Echeozonjoku said that even if the vote is conducted by show of hands, it will become clear to the public which parties voted to keep Morero in charge.

“While it is at the Speaker’s discretion, it is good for residents to see who is keeping Dada Morero in office and who is voting to remove him,” she said.

Who would replace him?

In the vote that elected Morero, the DA put forward Kayser-Echeozonjoku as a mayoral candidate.

The party has kept its cards close to its chest this time, not disclosing who it will put up for election, amid reports that DA Federal Chair Helen Zille is throwing her hat into the ring.

Speaking on leadership in the party recently, Zille said: “DA believes in good leadership. Some good leaders are young. Others, not so much”.

ANC Gauteng defends Morero

The ANC’s Gauteng Provincial Task Team (PTT) told The Citizen that the party is negotiating with their partners to ensure that Morero survives the motion.

“The principle is that we speak to everyone,” said PTT spokesperson Mzi Khumalo.

Khumalo said the DA had submitted a frivolous motion meant to destabilise the work of the mayor.

“This motion was submitted at the time the mayor was delivering his State of the City Address (SOCA), this was just meant to create a PR nightmare for him,” he said.

Khumalo believes Morero has been “unfairly” assessed.

“He has presented his plans to us, and we are fully behind him,” he said.

Mashaba not ‘convinced’

One of the parties that may swing the vote is ActionSA, which has voted with the ANC in the past but most recently against it on the Johannesburg budget.

ActionSA president Herman Mashaba told The Citizen on Tuesday that he believes Morero has dismally failed the city.

He confirmed that the ANC had tried to convince his party to defend Morero during the vote, but he remains unconvinced.

“How do we defend a mayor who does not consult his partners? How do we defend a mayor that has failed the residents dismally?” he said.

Mashaba said his party would announce their position on the motion against Mthembu and Morero on Wednesday morning.

ALSO READ: DA tables motion of no confidence in Johannesburg mayor and speaker

More battles ahead for Morero

Morero is expected to contend with ANC Gauteng’s former deputy secretary Loyiso Masuku for the position of ANC regional chairperson later this year.

Political analyst Professor Dirk Kotze told The Citizen that the ANC in Johannesburg is facing troubled times.

“What is happening in Johannesburg is highly problematic. Issues of service delivery, water, and infrastructure failure. Even President Cyril Ramaphosa said he is concerned about Johannesburg.

“In the ANC, there is a serious concern about the state of Johannesburg. The fact that the current mayor has appointed a bomb squad, which also tells you that the situation is bad,” he said.

Kotze said the ANC will be careful not to enter the local government elections next year with the face of one particular candidate because of some of their candidates’ weaknesses.

“The ANC will not go to the elections with a mayoral candidate, which is something the DA is fond of. I do not think that the ANC will commit to any particular person, maybe only closer to the election,” he said.

However, Kotze said it is likely that Morero will become the mayoral candidate should he get re-elected as the regional chairperson of the ANC in Joburg.

Kotze expects Morero to survive the motion of no confidence and believes the DA submitted it as a statement of their unhappiness with the state of affairs in the metro.

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