Morero to ‘rotate' Joburg's non-performing senior managers and MMCs
Johannesburg mayor
Morero said this during his maiden
He stressed this was not a reshuffle.
'At this stage, we are not removing anyone … It's a rotation. We will not lose any institutional memory because the same teams have been in the mayoral committee since I have been mayor, even before I was appointed as the mayor.
'There's a need for us to strengthen certain areas of importance in accordance with the new strategy plan so that we can achieve a higher mileage so that people can indeed see that there's a turnaround in the city of Johannesburg.'
To deal with illegal mining and crime, Morero said the city would declare a
He also declared war on potholes, illegal connections, land invasion, illegal dumping and undocumented migrants.
Morero said that at the centre of Johannesburg's programme is the Inner City Revitalisation Project, aimed at upgrading bulk infrastructure, refurbishing abandoned buildings, installing safe public lighting and 'restoring dignity to the heart of the city'.
The project would unlock mixed-income housing, attract commercial tenants and reignite the economy of the city's centre, he said.
'Key precincts such as Marshalltown, Jeppestown, Hillbrow and Braamfontein will benefit from this multi-layered programme. The inner city is not just being restored, we are transcending so-called urbicide. It is being repositioned as the economic epicentre of the Gauteng city-region.'
The electrification of informal settlements remained a priority, he said, with a R296 million allocation for connecting to the grid areas such as Diepsloot, Orange Farm, Ivory Park and Kya Sands.
He said this initiative would provide safe and legal electricity to thousands of households, integrating them into the urban energy system and laying the groundwork for service upgrades and formalisation.
Morero said the city was aware of the high electricity tariffs residents were paying, particularly industrial customers.
'These customers are major employers in our city and we need to support them so they are sustainable and financially viable. Through City Power, we will provide a relief tariff option to our industrial customers.
'The programme also supports the city's energy transition, through complementary investments in substation upgrades and energy efficiency retrofits.'
City finances
Morero said the city's financial position remains fragile and called for a major reset in its financial management and revenue generation activities.
He said the way revenue is collected will be overhauled to improve the liquidity of the city, and it would be more robust from those who have the means to pay.
'Our large consumers of electricity and water in both private and public sectors are urged to make their fair contribution by paying their bills on time.
'We have no choice but to insist on proper financial discipline, so that we can ensure the proactive management of our income and expenditure, to derive the full value from each rand spent.'
He said the city must strengthen its financial development plan to create a sustainable multi-year funding model for capital infrastructure that will support social and economic projects.
Morero said the city's problems are complex and resources are not infinite.
'Alone, we will not solve these challenges. For instance, the city is not financially stable, infrastructure is decaying and service delivery backlogs have reversed the gains we have made. Covid-19 alone set us back by 10 years.'
He called on Johannesburg residents to play their part.
'Please do not litter and stop illegal dumping. Please do not vandalise public infrastructure. Please do not hijack buildings. Please comply with all by-laws of the city.'
He said councillors should use the Soca debate on Thursday to present input from their constituencies.
'Tomorrow, I would like to hear voices representing the people of Johannesburg. I know you have the capacity to punch holes in my speech. But let us do things differently. Tomorrow, tell us about the Johannesburg you want to see.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mail & Guardian
6 hours ago
- Mail & Guardian
Ramaphosa says talks with US on tariffs ongoing as measures are delayed for seven days
President Cyril @CyrilRamaphosa/X President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed concern over the 30% tariff imposed by the US on South African exports, despite a seven-day reprieve from implementation of the measure which had been set to kick in on Friday. South Africa is among several countries facing punitive tariffs from the US as it moves to protect its own manufacturers and labour force. On Friday, Ramaphosa said his government was finalising a package to support companies that are vulnerable to the reciprocal tariffs, adding that the details would be announced 'in due course'. He said Pretoria had submitted a framework deal to Washington in an effort to strengthen 'mutually beneficial trade and investment ties'. 'South Africa and US trade relations are complementary in nature and South African exports do not pose a threat to US industry. Importantly, SA exports to the US contain inputs from the African continent and contribute to intra-Africa trade,' he said. Ramaphosa said his government would pursue all diplomatic avenues to safeguard the country's national interests. 'It is important that, as a country, we keep our people at work and our companies producing some of the high-quality products destined for many parts of the world.' Trump's administration claims that a lack of reciprocity in trade relations has eroded the US's manufacturing base, disrupted supply chains and weakened its defence industrial base. Earlier this week, Department of Trade, Industry and Competition said South Africa It has set up an export support desk as part of a diversification strategy 'to create resilience' in the economy. The desk is collaborating with export councils, industry associations and major exporters to the US to assist in accessing alternative markets. 'We also want to reiterate that we have no intention of decoupling from the United States either. Our view is that negotiations remain the best tool to deal with the issues that are on the table,' it said. Pretoria is still waiting for a response from Washington on its proposed framework deal, which includes substantial trade and investment incentives. These include the import of between 750 and Other elements include the import of US blueberries and a commitment by South Africa to invest $3.3 billion in US industries such as mining, metals recycling, critical minerals, pharmaceuticals and The deal includes exemptions from reciprocal tariffs in key sectors, including shipbuilding, counter-seasonal agriculture and exports by micro, small and medium enterprises with annual exports of less than $1 million. The trade department said it had been in 'intense negotiations' with the US and had signed a condition precedent document, with inputs ready for inclusion in a template expected from Washington. 'Despite the challenges that have been presented by this period, we have put our best foot forward, bringing together the subject specialists within our ranks that have dug deep to ensure that our country is adequately prepared for a number of potential scenarios,' it said.
Mail & Guardian
7 hours ago
- Mail & Guardian
Flysafair reaches wage deal with pilots, ending strike
A two-week strike by pilots at FlySafair ended on Friday after the airline and union Solidarity reached agreement on wage increases and better working conditions. (Wikimedia commons) A More than 90% of the airline's pilots had gone on strike demanding a 10.5% increase on base salaries, as well as additional flight pay and bonuses. The airline initially said it could only offer a 5.7% increase on base pay. 'FlySafair is pleased to confirm that the strike action by a portion of its pilot workforce has officially come to an end. This follows the signing of a formal agreement between airline management and Solidarity today, concluding several weeks of intensive engagement under the guidance of the 'Most importantly for the South African travelling public, this development means that FlySafair will begin restoring full capacity to the market. With all aircraft returning to active duty and schedules being normalised, the airline anticipates a stabilisation of airfares in the coming weeks as more seats become available across the network.' The airline did not say what salary increase had been agreed to but, in its own statement, Solidarity said pilots would receive increases of 6%, 6.5%, 6.8% and 6.9%, respectively, over the next four years. These percentages would also apply to annual adjustments in travel and subsistence allowances, as well as the medical allowance, it said, and pilots would get additional compensation for any hours in excess of 65 flying hours per month. Among their demands, the pilots wanted one weekend off a month and a more predictable roster, saying the current system caused stress, exhaustion and had led to some resignations. FlySafair argued that the proposed system would limit the airline's ability to roster pilots efficiently, which would affect passengers and the wider crew. On Friday, Solidarity said the new shift roster system agreed to was now regulated by 'hard rules' and no longer by 'soft rules' that could be adjusted at will by management. The union said the parties had agreed that pilots would receive at least one 60-hour weekend off in every six-week cycle, with a minimum of nine weekends off per year. Those who had to work on their days off would get that time back the following month. It said the agreement was an important step but there were still concerns that it only protected 'the very basic rights of the pilots'. The strike at FlySafair came as South Africa's
The Herald
9 hours ago
- The Herald
Chief justice welcomes appointment of deputy chief justice Dunstan Mlambo
Chief justice Mandisa Maya, on behalf of the judiciary, has welcomed the appointment of Dunstan Mlambo as deputy chief justice. President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the appointment on Thursday. The appointment follows the Judicial Service Commission's (JSC's) resolution on July 3 to advise the president that Mlambo was suitable for appointment as the deputy chief justice. The JSC took this decision after also interviewing Free State judge president Cagney Musi and Northern Cape judge president Pule Tlaletsi. 'Justice Mlambo brings to this role a wealth of experience, steadfast leadership, and an unwavering dedication to constitutional values,' Maya said. She said his distinguished service as judge president of the Gauteng division of the high court and in previous positions demonstrated his legal excellence, administrative skill and commitment to justice. Maya said the judiciary looked forward to working with him in his new role in advancing the rule of law, safeguarding judicial independence and ensuring access to justice for all South Africans. TimesLIVE
