Gwamanda raises no-confidence in Morero, risking GNU

Move could fracture unity agreement brokered by President

- MASHUDU SADIKE AND SIFISO MAHLANGU

A POLITICAL fallout is imminent if Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero is removed from office, a move that could reverberate beyond the city council and threaten the stability of South Africa's Government of National Unity.

Morero, who was appointed through a fragile power-sharing pact between the ANC, DA, IFP, Patriotic Alliance, and smaller partners earlier this year.

Insiders warn that if the DA, IFP, UDM, and PA decide to turn against Morero, the move could fracture the unity agreement brokered by President Cyril Ramaphosa in 2024. The PA, led by Gayton McKenzie and the IFP may hold the deciding votes. McKenzie had threatened to exit the GNU if former transport MMC Kenny Kunene, his deputy, was not reinstated. The ANC conceded, and Morero swiftly reappointed Kunene as MMC.

The motion, formally submitted to Johannesburg City Council Speaker Margaret Arnolds on Tuesday, was brought by the Minority Governing Parties (MGP), a grouping of 10 smaller parties that are part of the ANC-led coalition government.

These include the United Democratic Movement, Al Jama-ah, African Independent Congress, and African Heart Congress, among others. The MGP argues that the motion is not aimed at the ANC but is intended to “restore accountability and lawful governance” to the city.

MGP Chairperson and former mayor Kabelo Gwamanda elaborated on the reasons behind their decision, citing “sustained breakdowns in governance, administrative capture, and political interference in city operations”.