Former Johannesburg mayor and ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba has launched a scathing attack on current mayor Dada Morero, labelling him “the most useless mayor the city has ever had.”
Mashaba made the comments in an interview earlier this week, accusing Morero of “failing the city and its residents” amid ongoing service delivery problems and growing doubts about Johannesburg’s readiness to host the G20 Leaders’ Summit later this month.
“A complete disappointment”
Mashaba, who led Johannesburg from 2016 to 2019 under the Democratic Alliance (DA), said Morero’s leadership had been “a complete disappointment.”
“Two or three months into his term, I started raising red flags around Dada Morero,” Mashaba said. “His focus is not there.”
He criticised Morero’s appointment of Margaret Arnolds as Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Finance, claiming the decision was politically motivated.
“You don’t appoint people you can control — you appoint people who can do the job,” Mashaba said. “That’s how you stabilise the city.”
Morero’s office fires back
Morero’s spokesperson, Khathu Mulaudzi, dismissed Mashaba’s remarks as “unfounded and politically driven.”
“These claims are baseless and clearly meant to mislead residents for political gain,” Mulaudzi said.
“Since taking office, Mayor Morero has focused on restoring stability, improving service delivery, and rebuilding the city’s finances — progress that residents can already see.”
Mulaudzi further accused Mashaba of hypocrisy, saying the city’s current challenges stem from the instability left behind by his administration.
“It’s ironic for Mr. Mashaba to deflect responsibility for his own dysfunctional legacy,” he added.
Coalition politics and a revolving door of mayors
Johannesburg has seen nine mayors since 2016 — a sign of deep political instability in the city’s council. Morero, an ANC member, was re-elected in September 2024 with support from a coalition that included ActionSA, the EFF, the IFP, and the MK Party.
His appointment followed a string of short-lived administrations, including Al Jama-ah’s Kabelo Gwamanda and Thapelo Amad, both of whom faced motions of no confidence over weak leadership and poor service delivery.
G20 preparations under scrutiny
Mashaba also questioned the city’s readiness to host the upcoming G20 Summit on 22–23 November, calling the recent clean-up efforts “too little, too late.”
“Why are we fixing the city only because the G20 is coming? Johannesburg should look like this all the time,” he said.
Opposition parties in Gauteng have echoed the sentiment, citing ongoing problems such as power cuts, water shortages, potholes, waste backlogs, and crime.
Lesufi insists Joburg is ready
Despite the criticism, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has reassured residents that the province is “fully prepared” to host the international gathering, saying intensified clean-up and infrastructure operations are showing results.
As the political bickering continues, Johannesburg’s residents remain caught between promises and potholes — waiting to see whether the city’s leadership can finally deliver stability beyond the summit spotlight.