Johannesburg mayor Morero warns contenders for ANC regional posts not to sabotage his government

Dada Morero has said he will stand for a second term as the Greater Joburg chair

ANC Greater Johannesburg regional chairperson and Johannesburg mayor Dada Morero has warned those contesting for positions in an upcoming elective conference not to sabotage the work of the local government to further their ambitions.

Morero said a recent meeting of the provincial task team (PTT) running the ANC in Gauteng had made it clear that undisciplined jostling for positions was not helpful given the party’s waning support.

“The ANC took the view that fighting for positions in conferences, while the ANC is in decline electorally, is not helpful. The lekgotla reiterated this, and we expect that even if we are contesting, the work that must be done in government should continue,” he said.

“The mayor has to do his work, and the mayor should be given space; otherwise, if he fails, it’s the ANC that fails — not me. Should I fail, the people would be saying, ‘Who is Dada Morero?’ Then they’ll say, ‘Oh, it’s the ANC,’ and conclude that the ANC has failed.

“The ANC is alive to that fact, and that is why the ANC will give me all the necessary support to ensure that I succeed as the face of the ANC in Johannesburg.”

At the two-day meeting in Johannesburg three weeks ago, the provincial task team told regional officials, members of the provincial legislature caucus, municipal representatives and national executive committee (NEC) members to craft a recovery plan for the embattled party, after support plummeted to 40% in last year’s general elections, resulting in President Cyril Ramaphosa forming a national government of national unity.

The task team warned it would not tolerate acts that further divide the party in the lead-up to the regional conferences. Allegations have surfaced that some of those contesting in the Johannesburg regional conference are buying votes, reportedly paying branch members R500 to R1  000 to secure their support.

In February, Morero’s office acknowledged an audio recording cited in an article in The Star, which was allegedly made during a meeting involving two Johannesburg members of the mayoral committee (MMC), two ANC officials and a Rand Water official.

In the clip, the group is said to have discussed plans to destabilise the mayor’s leadership by “shutting down water flow in Johannesburg for as long as possible”, suggesting the city’s ongoing water woes may have been orchestrated to portray him as unfit for his post.

Johannesburg has also been grappling with a proliferation of potholes on roads after recent heavy rains, illegal electricity connections, land invasions and illegal dumping, among other ills.

Some ANC members have also allegedly motivated members of the South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) to protest against the city executive’s leadership.

But these claims were denied by Samwu’s regional secretary, Thabani Nkosi.

In a media briefing after the provincial task team lekgotla, ANC provincial coordinator Hope Papo said conferences were vital for the party’s renewal, but unity would not be sacrificed.

“We should not tolerate that kind of behaviour, whether by any branch leader, any member, regional leader, PTT member or any other member of the organisation. No weak organisation can serve diligently and fairly,” he said.

Morero said he would stand for the chairperson position at the upcoming conference on 27  July. He narrowly won at the 2022 conference, defeating Eunice Mgcina by 10 votes. Deputy regional secretary Loyiso Masuku is also standing for the chairperson position, while Mgcina will contest for deputy chair.

Regional secretary Sasabona Manganyi is expected to seek a second term, and mayoral spokesperson Chris Vondo will seek the same post.

Thuthukile Zuma, the daughter of former president Jacob Zuma and NEC member Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, and Johannesburg’s MMC for economic development Nomoya Mnisi will vie for the deputy regional secretary position.

“I am standing for chairperson of the ANC … for another mandate to continue leading Johannesburg,” Morero said.

“I still believe I have a lot to offer the ANC. I served as regional secretary for 11 years — more than three terms — and that was because branches kept bringing me back. I believe I have the capacity to build the organisation.”

Asked whether he would be relieved of his duties as mayor if he fails to win the chairperson position, Morero said his term as mayor ends in 2026 and the conference outcome would not affect that.

In line with ANC’s renewal efforts, it is now customary for its top seven officials to interview three candidates for premier and mayoral posts. This means winning a conference does not guarantee the position of premier if the ANC receives more than 50% in local or provincial elections.

This policy was evident in the Free State, where provincial chair Mxolisi Dukwana was not made premier after failing his interview at Luthuli House. The same applied in KwaZulu-Natal, where former chair Siboniso Duma did not become premier despite the party still holding a majority at the time. Similarly, in the North West, provincial chair Nono Maloyi is not the premier.

The new guidelines also require that individuals appointed to mayoral and premier positions possess a post-matric qualification.

The ANC Veterans’ League has backed former president Thabo Mbeki’s call for vetting party members, especially those intended for government positions. This would bar anyone with a criminal record and, if the league has its way, members will need to meet certain criteria before being allowed to stand for leadership positions.

“Whoever is the mayor now remains the mayor unless recalled — regardless of whether they are the chairperson or not. A new process will begin again in 2026, a month before the elections, where interviews will be conducted,” Morero said.

“The new selection guidelines may also bring certain changes, as we have seen in the national government, where qualifications and other factors were introduced. 

“So whether I’m elected chair or not means nothing unless I am recalled by the party from the position I currently hold.”

Morero was also part of the leadership that saw support for the ANC in the region fall below 50% in 2016, relegating the party to opposition benches for the first time, with the Democratic Alliance taking control. It has continued steadily declining ever since.

“Yes, there were challenges in 2016. We lost the elections, and we didn’t see it coming. We dropped from around 52% to 45%, and that decline has continued — we’re now at 33% as of 2021,” Morero said.

“In 2024, due to the national elections, we gained one percentage point, bringing us to 34%. Our goal is to work toward another 4% increase in 2026. We are putting plans in place to reach 38% and, if we’re lucky, 40% would be a bonus.

“Of course, the goal is to start at 50% and above, but realistically, we need to put systems in place for gradual growth back to where we were. We believe we can achieve that based on the strategies we’re implementing.”