Dada Morero Elected Mayor of Johannesburg

In a significant political shift, Dada Morero has been elected as the new executive mayor of Johannesburg, South Africa’s largest metro. This change happened during a special council meeting on Friday.

Morero takes over from Kabelo Gwamanda, who stepped down just a few days ago amid intense pressure over the city’s faltering service delivery. Gwamanda’s resignation follows months of criticism from various civil society groups and opposition parties.

During the council vote, Morero, who was previously the city’s finance MMC, received 189 votes from several political parties, including his new coalition partners, ActionSA. In contrast, Belinda Echeozonjo from the DA secured 60 votes.

The decision for Morero to assume the mayoral role comes after negotiations with different political factions in Johannesburg. It’s noteworthy that ActionSA, led by Herman Mashaba, decided to support Morero in return for securing the speaker position.

This is Morero’s second term as mayor, having been removed from the position back in October 2022 due to legal disputes over his initial election. The DA had successfully challenged that election in court, branding it unconstitutional.

The ANC has been actively engaging with diverse political parties in the city council to ensure a stable coalition for governing Johannesburg. This comes amidst a broader strategy spearheaded by President Cyril Ramaphosa, who aims to revive the ANC’s influence in municipalities, particularly in Johannesburg, to tackle ongoing service delivery issues.