In the latest podcast episode of In The Know with Sowetan, Joburg mayor Dada Morero sits down with reporter Koena Mashale to discuss some of the city’s biggest challenges and the ambitious plans underway to fix them.
From hijacked buildings to infrastructure constraints, Morero provided answers to questions residents have been asking.
He revealed the progress made by the presidential working group, stating that the city has now entered a new phase of its turnaround strategy. In March, President Cyril Ramaphosa launched the high-level intervention to address Joburg’s collapsing infrastructure and service delivery crisis.
One of the most urgent goals is the reclaiming and repurposing of more than 400 abandoned buildings across the city, 30 of which are owned by the municipality, said Morero. He said the spaces are being profiled for redevelopment into safe, affordable housing.
Morero also defended the launch of the so-called “Bomb Squad,” arguing that it is not similar to the presidential work group, a task team made up of experienced professionals such as former city managers and CEOs from within Johannesburg. Despite some criticism, he insists the team is vital to “fast-tracking progress and brings valuable institutional memory to help fix the city’s systemic problems.”
Morero also spoke about the upcoming local government elections and the allies that the ANC still has in Johannesburg like ActionSA.
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