Latest news with #DadaMorero
IOL News
21 hours ago
- Politics
- IOL News
Joburg council faces critical debate on DA's no confidence motion against mayor, speaker
Joburg mayor Dada Morero along with speaker Nobuhle Mthembu and chief whip Sithembiso Zungu will be the subject of a motion of no confidence debate in council over two days next week. Image: Timothy Bernard / Independent Newspapers The City of Johannesburg council will debate the DA's motion of no confidence in mayor Dada Morero, speaker Nobuhle Mthembu and chief whip Sithembiso Zungu. On Thursday, the council's programming committee approved the debate scheduled for two days, June 25 and 26. The DA in Johannesburg accuses Morero of failing the city's more than six million residents. In its motion of no confidence in the mayor, the DA accuses Morero, who is also ANC regional chairperson in Joburg, of not leading with integrity, with his administration being marked by mismanagement, patronage networks and a disturbing lack of transparency. According to the party, Joburg, the country's economic hub, is falling apart. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ 'Under the current leadership, basic services are crumbling, communities are being neglected, and the very machinery of local government is grinding to a halt. Johannesburg deserves better,' the DA said. Zungu is also an ANC councillor. According to the DA, Mthembu of ActionSA has failed to uphold her constitutional role as an impartial guardian of council processes. 'Instead of ensuring fair and robust oversight, she has consistently shielded the mayor, undermining council's ability to hold the executive accountable,' added the party. It also accuses Mthembu of being bias and stifling critical decision-making, suppressing legitimate scrutiny and eroding the democratic integrity of the council chamber. The DA said her actions were evident in her protection of ineffective officials and disregard for procedural fairness, which it believes demonstrate that she is no longer independent but Morero's political ally. The party urged all councillors, irrespective of political affiliation, to support its motions and join it in fighting for a city that works for all its people. Morero and Mthembu, the DA said, have turned council into a political playground while residents suffer the consequences of poor governance. 'The DA will not stand by while Johannesburg is hijacked by narrow political interests. We owe it to every resident to fight for a council that works, a mayor who leads and a speaker who upholds the rules with fairness and impartiality,' the party explained. The ANC leads the government of local unity in the Joburg council with ActionSA, the EFF, Patriotic Alliance, IFP, African Independent Congress, Al Jama-ah and the PAC, among others. In January, ActionSA councillor Sarah Wissler was elected chairperson of section 79 public safety committee, beating the DA's Solomon Maila by 169 votes to 67.
The Citizen
a day ago
- General
- The Citizen
Johannesburg south residents demand urgent action over ongoing water, electricity outages
Residents of Johannesburg south are demanding urgent accountability over the collapse of basic services in their area. Communities such as South Hills, Tulisa Park, and Linmeyer have endured months of power and water outages, sparking what many describe as a human rights crisis. In some parts, households have gone nearly 40 days without running water, with no water tankers provided. With the upcoming Rand Water infrastructure upgrades set to cause further outages, the city has yet to present a clear plan to supply enough water tankers or JoJo tanks. 'The situation in Johannesburg south is unacceptable, and residents deserve answers. We need a clear plan of action to address these service delivery issues – and we need it now,' said Sergio Isa Dos Santos, MPL. Residents say the city's lack of urgency is evident in the stark difference between well-serviced areas hosting major events and the prolonged neglect of working-class suburbs. They are calling for a public meeting with Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero to explain the ongoing service failures and outline specific steps being taken to resolve them. Residents say they are tired of being left in the dark, and it's time for the city to act. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Daily Maverick
13-06-2025
- Daily Maverick
Sasol report warns of ‘uncontrolled risk' to Joburg park gas pipeline
School learners and families are at risk as residents of a Homestead Park informal settlement light fires over a gas pipeline. The City of Johannesburg says eviction laws are delaying action. People living in shacks who are lighting fires daily over a gas pipeline, which is only 1.5 metres underground, are causing a huge potential safety risk for the inner-city suburb of Homestead Park. Yet the City of Johannesburg, despite having received a risk assessment report from Sasol, the owner of the pipeline, warning of the risks, is delaying the relocation of the land occupiers, saying it has to follow legal eviction procedures. The land occupiers have not only built shacks above the pipeline but are also digging pit latrines directly above it for their ablutions which, over and above the danger of hitting the pipe, could cause it to corrode through human waste, said Suhail Ahmed, the secretary of the Homestead Community Forum. 'We fear that with severe winter conditions setting in, the risks could be exacerbated as fires are being lit day and night. Already, in March, a fire spiralled out of control in one of the shacks and emergency services had to be brought in. This shows the limited safety behaviour and control exercised by these people,' he said. The City said it was aware of the risk but had to follow proper legal procedures to remove the occupiers, including finding alternative accommodation, which could take months, if not years. The issue was first reported in Sunday Times. Sasol's risk assessment says a school is located nearby and learners wait for transport adjacent to the property. Residents fear a repeat of the July 2023 explosion on Lilian Ngoyi Street (formerly Bree Street) in the Johannesburg CBD, caused by methane gas and which resulted in significant damage and one death. The investigation revealed that the methane gas resulted from underlying geological layers, and which escaped to the surface due to seismic activity. The City of Johannesburg delayed the repairs by awarding the R196-million contract to repair the busy street to a company that was facing fraud charges for allegedly defrauding City Power of R94-million. The contractor, Step Up Engineering, was later terminated for failing to meet contractual obligations and for the earlier fraud allegations. In May 2025, Joburg Mayor Dada Morero said the first phase of the rehabilitation work was scheduled for completion by the end of August. About 450 metres were affected and the road has been closed since July 2023. 'Families at risk' Sasol confirmed that it had performed and submitted a risk assessment to City officials. This was done in November last year and presented to City officials on 5 February 2025. On 4 March, a site inspection was done with Sasol, the City's disaster management unit and other officials. Nine shacks housing 15 people were found to be encroaching the pipeline servitude. 'Sasol takes this matter seriously and remains committed to ensuring the safety of communities and the integrity of its pipeline infrastructure,' said Sasol spokesperson Matebello Motloung. 'As part of efforts to maintain public safety, (we) continue to engage the office of the City of Johannesburg's municipal manager to discuss existing safety concerns posed by the… informal settlement and to explore mutually beneficial and sustainable solutions. '(We) do not have the legal authority to remove individuals or communities residing along the gas pipeline servitude. We rely on ongoing collaboration with relevant municipal and governmental authorities to address such matters in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.' He added that Sasol regularly conducted gas pipeline safety awareness campaigns in communities near pipelines. The risk report states that informal developments should not be closer than 25 metres from the pipeline and that those encroaching the pipeline 'place families at risk'. 'People living in unapproved structures will… dig pit latrines for toilet facilities. If… not correctly installed, human waste increases sulphur content in soil, which increases corrosion probability to steel structures, such as the gas pipeline.' It also states that the existing distances between the gas pipeline and the development are 'not acceptable and the informal residents must be removed due to undue and uncontrolled risk'. Sasol made a number of recommendations to address the risks. (Source: Sasol report) Egoli Gas said its responsibility for the gas pipe only started at Cottlesloe, not at Homestead Park. 'The responsibility for the integrity, safety and management of the pipeline and the land above it, including any risk posed by informal settlements, rests with Sasol as the pipeline owner, and with the City of Johannesburg as the custodian of land use and urban safety,' said the company in a statement. 'The gas pipeline supplies gas to our network via our manifold station at Cottesloe. This pipeline is a critical supply point for our network and enables the distribution of gas to our domestic, commercial, and industrial customers across Johannesburg. 'We are currently in discussions with Sasol on this matter and are committed to supporting efforts that lead to a safe and sustainable resolution. Egoli Gas' main point of concern relates to any damage or disruption to this line, as it would directly impact our ability to supply gas to customers across Johannesburg. The safety and security of this supply route is therefore of utmost importance.' City spokesperson Nthatisi Modingoane, replying to a query on whether emergency legislation existed in such a case, said: 'There is a commitment from the offices of the MMC for planning and public safety who are working with other key stakeholders from the departments of human settlements and social development to intervene and address the situation.' 'During the site visits, public education and awareness activities were conducted, so people are aware that they have to move,' he said. 'Home affairs conducted a socioeconomic assessment to determine how many people are residing there, their nationalities and status and whether there are vulnerable persons who may need to be taken to the shelter or place of safety. The Human Settlements Department and the Johannesburg Property Company are actively looking for alternate space. There is no time frame available, but home affairs will have to be part of the eviction process,' he said. 'Foot-and-mouth disease' Another concern in the area is a herd of cows that has been wandering through the streets for the past three years. After the recent blitz by City officials, residents have now been told that the animals have foot-and-mouth disease and cannot be moved until the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development conducts an inspection. Ahmed, however, said this could take months: 'While we appreciate the clearing of overgrown trees and grass and we realise there are processes to be followed, it is very frustrating for residents who have invested a lot of money into their properties watching the suburb decline daily. 'Already, a week after the cleaning, people are back there dumping and nothing has been done about the cows who walk in the streets right up to Brixton and Mayfair, endangering themselves and motorists. They are eating rotting food dumped on street corners. They defecate all over the streets and people's pristine pavements. Now they are telling us we again must wait.' The SPCA has visited often but says that only the Johannesburg Metro Police Department can remove them. SPAC Inspector Israel Lukheli said they had no knowledge of the foot-and-mouth disease issue. 'We have visited the site often, we even tried to herd the cows on foot to our nearby premises, but they started to run. We don't have the necessary resources or the authority to move them. We have offered to oversee and help the metro police move them, monitor the situation and ensure the conditions at the pound are safe for the animals,' he said. The Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development did not respond to a request for comment. Burning plastics Another problem Homestead Park residents are experiencing is that recyclers have started building shacks in their park where they burn unused plastics, leaving litter all over the park. 'City Parks said it had facilitated two multi-entity blitzes there and cleared the bushes and grass. They have further installed bollards at two access points at the park to prevent illegal vehicle entry, dumping and access by recyclers with trolleys,' said spokesperson Jenny Moodley. Regarding the shacks and their occupants, Moodley said they had to follow procedures. Park rangers, together with the metro police and other stakeholders, conducted random patrols and safety check operations across affected parks to ensure public health standards and protect the integrity of the City's green spaces, she added. DM
Eyewitness News
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Eyewitness News
Tshwane, Joburg mayors say EC floods devastation sign of urgency in addressing municipalities issues
JOHANNESBURG - The Tshwane and Johannesburg Mayors said the devastation from the Eastern Cape floods is a sign of the urgency in addressing challenges faced by municipalities, including poor infrastructure and disaster preparedness. Tshwane Mayor Nasiphi Moya and Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero are currently hosting their counterparts from elsewhere in the world, with talks entering a second day in Tshwane on Friday. This is part of the African Mayors' Assembly and U20 Sherpa Meeting, where delegates are set to influence policy for local government. Their policy directives will form part of South Africa's recommendations to global leaders at the G20 Leaders Summit later in 2025. Morero said local government cannot continue to bear the brunt of shortfalls on a global scale. 'African cities are on the frontlines of climate disruption, yet least responsible for its causes.' Moya said the Urban 20 meetings must find consensus on climate financing, among solutions to other common issues. 'The conversations that we have here must bear fruit and in this case, we must be able to prevent the loss of lives, when we can do something about it.'
News24
12-06-2025
- Politics
- News24
How Lotto was looted; Underworld murder-accused shot dead: Today's top 7 stories
News24 brings you the top 7 stories of the day. News24 brings you the top stories of the day, summarised into neat little packages. Read through quickly or listen to the articles via our customised text-to-speech feature. Scandals, shortlists, showdowns: Battle for Joburg's top job heats up - Floyd Brink, whose previous appointment as Johannesburg's city manager was ruled unconstitutional, is on the shortlist for the same position again. - The appointment process is under scrutiny due to concerns about transparency and governance, particularly regarding the potential involvement of controversial figures like Helen Botes. - Mayor Dada Morero aims to finalise the city manager appointment within two months amid ongoing legal battles and questions surrounding Brink's past tenure. Thahasello Mphatsoe/News24 WASTE LAND | Eight months on, Kagiso residents still live in sewage, despite mayor's promises - Mogale City residents are still dealing with sewage spills in their homes, despite promises from the mayor eight months ago. - The Percy Stewart Wastewater Treatment Plant is now releasing cleaner water into the nearby river. - Tourists are returning to attractions around the Cradle of Humankind. Gallo Images/Die Burger/Jaco Marais Underworld murder-accused Andre Naudé shot dead in Parow - Security company owner Andre Naudé was shot dead in Parow, Cape Town, on Thursday. - The shooting occurred on Voortrekker Road, and Cape Town's MMC for safety and security, JP Smith, deployed his team to the scene. - Naude was reportedly with his bodyguard at the time of the incident. KZN official trying to attack ex-DG in R100m fund squabble 'restrained' by guards - KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli is set to launch a R100-million youth empowerment project amid allegations of irregularities in the selection process. - Former DG Nonhlanhla Mkhize allegedly faced intimidation and almost physical harm for blocking funding to unqualified companies, leading to her abrupt resignation. - ActionSA has requested a postponement of the beneficiary announcement pending an investigation into allegations of interference and irregularities in the appointment process. How Lotto was looted: Limpopo farm shows 4-step plan officials used to siphon funds - Investigations reveal a consistent pattern of Lottery fraud where grant money is channelled to corrupt non-profits and then to attorneys, used to purchase assets. - The SIU has identified a four-step playbook for looting Lotto funds: creating/hijacking a nonprofit, securing funding via internal players, diverting funds to a private company, and sending money to attorneys for asset purchases. - Despite freezing assets worth over R100 million, only R9.5 million in cash has been recovered, and few cases have reached the courts, highlighting the difficulty in prosecuting these crimes. Paul Harding/Gallo Images Proteas Day 1 review: Rabada carrying the weight of three Aussie quicks in WTC final - Kagiso Rabada's five-wicket haul wasn't enough as South Africa struggled against Australia's strong bowling attack on day one of the WTC final. - Australia's pace trio of Cummins, Starc, and Hazlewood outperformed South Africa, exposing their batting weaknesses and lack of support for Rabada. - Stuart Broad highlighted that Australia's advantage lies in having three top-tier bowlers compared to South Africa's reliance on Rabada alone. Motorpress
