Joburg mayor Dada Morero says he is expecting to get a detailed report on Friday on transport MMC Kenny Kunene, who was at the Sandton home of murder accused Katiso “KT” Molefe when the businessman was arrested on Monday.
Morero, who was being interviewed for the IN THE KNOW with Sowetan podcast, was quick to point out that the Kunene matter was not to be discussed.
“Don’t ask me about [it],” he said. “At this point, I am still waiting for reports, and a decision will be made earliest this Friday. I was ordered not to speak on it.”
Molefe is the alleged mastermind behind the 2022 assassination of popular artist DJ Sumbody.
DJ Sumbody, real name Oupa Sefoka, and his two bodyguards — Sibusiso Mokoena and Sandile Myeza — were killed in a hail of bullets in Woodmead, Johannesburg, in November 2022 in what police believe was a planned execution.
Molefe, Michael Pule Tau, Tiego Floyd Mabusela and Musa Kekana are due back in the Alexandra magistrate’s court to face murder charges next week.
Kunene was suspended from his role as deputy president of the Patriotic Alliance after he was found at Molefe’s house. However, his political future as MMC remains unclear.
During the interview, Morero said a decision on filling the vacant MMC for finance position after Margaret Arnolds, who held that position was elected Joburg speaker, would be made soon.
The mayor must take responsibility to ensure that all departments do what they have to do. I’m the acting MMC responsible for finance.
— Joburg mayor Dada Morero
“We will fill them [MMCs for finance and transport] quite soon. We just have to analyse the reports [on Kunene]. Once we are done with that, we will make the necessary announcement on how we are going to fill them,” Morero said.
The duties of finance MMC are being handled directly from his office.
“The mayor must take responsibility to ensure that all departments do what they have to do. I’m the acting MMC responsible for finance,” Morero said.
“Once we conclude in the next few days, we will then complete the transport issue. So there’s no problem. There’s nothing to worry about,” he said.
Morero assured residents that service delivery will continue uninterrupted, even in the absence of political appointments.
“All departments have heads of department who are employed as technocrats to ensure that the department runs properly, even at the point where there’s no political aide. Also, the acting city manager is ensuring that the work of the municipality continues to happen, regardless of not having a political aide. So we are in control.”
The mayor also addressed the ongoing political instability in the council, particularly after the speaker, Nobuhle Mthembu, was ousted and replaced by Arnolds. He confirmed that coalition negotiations between the ANC and ActionSA are ongoing.
“There were issues that were put on the table. There were issues ActionSA put on the table, and that’s where we could not reach an agreement. We then agreed on one principle — that the discussion, engagements and negotiations between the ANC and ActionSA will continue,” he said.
Morero said he was also expecting a more detailed report on the Usindiso Building fire that claimed the lives of 76 people in August 2023 in the Joburg CBD.
He added that more recommendations have been made, which will assist him in deciding how to move forward on the issue.
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