Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero has made some bold promises during his first State of the City address. He has announced plans to take action against non-performing senior municipal managers and members of the mayoral committee by rotating them starting in July. This move is aimed at strengthening key areas of importance in line with a new strategy plan to bring about positive change in the city.
Morero emphasized that this is not a reshuffle but a rotation to ensure that institutional memory is retained while addressing areas that require improvement. He also announced the declaration of a state of disaster for lawlessness from July, with a focus on tackling illegal mining, crime, and enforcing by-laws using the “broken window” approach.
In addition to addressing lawlessness, Morero declared a war on potholes, illegal connections, land invasion, illegal dumping, and undocumented migrants. The Inner City Revitalisation Project was highlighted as a key initiative to upgrade infrastructure, refurbish buildings, install safe lighting, and revitalize key precincts like Marshalltown, Jeppestown, Hillbrow, and Braamfontein.
The electrification of informal settlements remains a priority, with a significant allocation for connecting areas like Diepsloot, Orange Farm, Ivory Park, and Kya Sands to the grid. This initiative aims to provide safe and legal electricity to households, integrate them into the urban energy system, and pave the way for service upgrades and formalization.
On the financial front, Morero acknowledged the city’s fragile financial position and called for a reset in financial management and revenue generation activities. He stressed the need for proper financial discipline, revenue collection overhaul, and creating a sustainable funding model for capital infrastructure to support social and economic projects.
Morero urged large consumers of electricity and water to make their fair contribution by paying bills on time and emphasized the importance of proactive management of income and expenditure. He acknowledged the complexity of the city’s problems and called on residents to play their part in maintaining the city’s infrastructure and complying with by-laws.
In conclusion, Morero called on Johannesburg residents to voice their opinions during the upcoming Soca debate and share their vision for the city. He emphasized the need for collective effort in addressing the city’s challenges and encouraged residents to work together towards a better Johannesburg.
