Johannesburg mayor Dada Morero is going nowhere, according to ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula.
Mbalula was responding to a report by the Sunday Times which revealed that the ANC in Johannesburg had taken a decision to recall Morero as mayor of Johannesburg.
Mbalula said the ANC regional leadership in Johannesburg had no powers to remove Morero, as only the national officials, dubbed the ANC top seven, may deploy or remove mayors in metropolitan municipalities.
“There is no mayor that is going to be removed by the region, let me tell you that. And I’m going to meet them, the region,” said Mbalula.
He is expected to meet the regional leaders sometime this week to convey this message.
The Sunday Times reported at the weekend that several sources had revealed that the ANC in Johannesburg called the special regional executive committee (REC) on Saturday after they were served with court papers challenging the legitimacy of the conference in December, where Morero lost the chairmanship of the Johannesburg region to Loyiso Masuku. Masuku was later elected the city’s deputy mayor.
Morero is Mbalula’s staunch ally in Johannesburg, while Masuku is aligned with deputy secretary-general Nomvula Mokonyane.
The NWC is clear that what the comrades in Joburg have done, it shouldn’t be. We face challenges from time to time, but it’s our structures and we will talk to them. The mayor is there and he’s not removed
— Fikile Mbalula, ANC secretary-general
The court papers, which this publication has seen, were filed by Stanley Itshegetseng, who is said to be Morero’s special adviser in the metropolitan municipality.
In their meeting, the REC is said to have taken a dim view of the legal action and effectively pointed to Morero as being behind the court challenge.
“The REC is reviewing its decision to keep Dada as mayor because the relationship is irreconcilable as the state is used to undermine the elected leadership,” said a senior ANC regional leader.
Another REC member was more direct, saying it had become clear that the relationship with Morero had become untenable and it was no longer possible to work with him.
“We can’t co-exist. If we are to save the ANC and prepare adequately for elections, Dada [Morero] cannot continue to be allowed to abuse the state to undermine elected leadership and undermine the unity and cohesion of the ANC.”
But Mbalula stood firm in dismissing the resolution by the Johannesburg region, saying it had overstepped its powers.
According to Mbalula, the ANC’s national working committee (NWC) on Monday declared the resolution to remove Morero null and void.
“The NWC is clear that what the comrades in Joburg have done, it shouldn’t be,” said Mbalula. “We face challenges from time to time, but it’s our structures and we will talk to them. The mayor is there and he’s not removed.”
The ANC in the greater Joburg region remains committed to working collectively to strengthen the organisation, advance service delivery and improve the lives of all residents of Johannesburg
— Sasabona Manganye, Joburg regional secretary
A statement by the Johannesburg regional secretary Sasabona Manganye essentially accused the Sunday Times of jumping the gun, saying the decision to recall Morero was still being discussed internally.
“The REC further noted with concern the leaking of unofficial internal discussions and urges media houses to allow internal organisational processes to unfold before publishing claims that may mislead the public and undermine governance stability,” said Manganye.
“The ANC in the greater Joburg region remains committed to working collectively to strengthen the organisation, advance service delivery and improve the lives of all residents of Johannesburg.”
But Manganye did not dismiss as inaccurate reports that they had decided to recall Morero.
Mbalula said the ANC would soon reveal details of its processes to interview and appoint mayors in metros.
“The top seven is going to interview the mayoral candidates of all the metros and the secondary cities, that’s the decision of the general council and the national executive committee,” said Mbalula.
He said the ANC would then announce its mayoral candidates in May, after the interview process.
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