Morero blames DA for collapsing City of Joburg’s finances

JOHANNESBURG - Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero has blamed the Democratic Alliance (DA) for collapsing the metro’s finances.

This follows Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana’s concerns over the mismanagement of public funds in the municipality.

ALSO READ:

- Joburg Mayor Morero establishes disciplinary board to probe financial misconduct

- Morero under pressure to sort out Joburg's finances or risk losing Treasury funding

Earlier in August, Godongwana criticised the city for racking up R23 billion in fruitless, wasteful, and irregular expenditure.

Addressing the media on Thursday, Morero stressed that the city’s financial troubles have been building up for years.

The DA governed Johannesburg from 2016 to 2019 and returned to power between 2021 and 2023.

In the years between, the African National Congress (ANC) held control through a coalition that included the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and the Patriotic Alliance (PA).

Morero had earlier cited political instability for the city’s financial woes but is now blatantly blaming the blue party.

"I want to clearly state, as I publicly did when I assumed office during my first term as executive mayor in 2022, that our beloved city has endured a period of mismanagement and poor leadership from previous administrations, particularly during the DA-led coalition."

Meanwhile, DA regional leader, Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku, said the mayor should accept responsibility instead of playing the blame game.

"It's disingenuous of the executive mayor to shift the blame. He should be staying in touch with his administration, and he should hold officials accountable. He should not bring back people that the DA has put on suspension for precisely some of these issues."

The finance minister recently urged Morero to get his house in order.