Morero says political instability to blame for Joburg's financial woes
The finance minister recently wrote a scathing letter to Morero, threatening to cut off National Treasury funding if the city does not curb its excessive unauthorised, irregular, and wasteful expenditure.
ALSO READ: Gauteng govt confident City of Joburg will host successful G20 Summit
Since the 2021 local government elections, Johannesburg has had four different mayors, each with their own administration.
In an interview with EWN , Morero said things are expected to improve now that the city has a stable coalition government.
"We have also responded to the minister to say yes, the plans have always been there, except that there have been some weaknesses in implementation. For example, it took us longer to appoint a disciplinary committee, which we have now appointed and this was a result of change and instability of government, where you had changes that were happening constantly. Now that we have got a stable coalition, we are able to establish the disciplinary committee.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
7 hours ago
- IOL News
Parliament seeks clarity on funding of the National Dialogue
Mmusi Maimane, chairperson of Standing Committee on Appropriations, said the committee has formally written to National Treasury requesting clarity on the budget vote funding the National Dialogue and an impact assessment report on programmes that may be affected by diverted funds. Image: Picture: Timothy Bernard / Independent Newspapers Chairperson of the Appropriations Committee Mmusi Maimane has written to the National Treasury to enquire about the funding for the National Dialogue, which has no direct allocation in the recently approved Budget. Maimane said he was concerned how the National Dialogue will be funded and implemented. 'While the National Dialogue is vital for our democracy, we are deeply troubled by the absence of a concrete funding strategy. There is no dedicated allocation in the national budget and, in an already constrained fiscal environment, we cannot afford to divert resources from other critical priorities,' he said. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Maimane also said any funding model must be sustainable, accountable and must not place additional burdens on taxpayers. His statement comes as President Cyril Ramaphosa's spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said all budgetary processes regarding the National Convention were consistent with the Public Finance Management Act. The costs of the first two-day convention this weekend will be funded from the budgets of National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) and the Presidency. Unisa is hosting the first National Convention and will provide associated goods and services free of charge. 'The Inter-Ministerial Committee, which is chaired by Deputy President Paul Mashatile and comprises all relevant government departments to coordinate government's contribution towards the National Dialogue, has been working to mobilise resources for the convention and manage costs,' said Magwenya. He also said all procurement and management of public funds will adhere to the Public Finance Management Act and applicable Treasury Regulations. 'All funds will be accounted for through the normal public finance mechanisms,' he said. Responding to parliamentary questions from DA chief whip George Michalakis, Mashatile said the Inter-Ministerial Committee has tasked the National Treasury, together with other departments such as The Presidency; Justice and Constitutional Development; Employment and Labour; and Sport, Arts and Culture, to review the estimated budget. 'The budget of the National Convention and the National Dialogue has not yet been finalised,' he said. The initial R700m budget for the National Dialogue has been widely criticised. Some reports have suggested that government planned to contribute 60% of the projected R450m cost of the National Dialogue. Maimane said the committee has formally written to National Treasury requesting clarity on the budget vote funding the National Dialogue and an impact assessment report on programmes that may be affected by diverted funds. The committee wants a detailed plan to mitigate any negative consequences on service delivery as well as a comprehensive report on a list of programmes that will be affected by the funding of the National Dialogue. He said South Africans deserved more transparency and fiscal responsibility. 'Without these, the National Dialogue risks becoming another missed opportunity.' Maimane said it was also troubling to learn that important voices were stepping away from the process. 'If the Dialogue proceeds, how can South Africans trust that it will deliver meaningful, inclusive outcomes? We need assurance that all perspectives especially those most affected will be heard.'
The South African
12 hours ago
- The South African
THIS is where SA's General Fuel Levy money goes to
South Africa's General Fuel Levy increased in 2025 after proposed VAT increases were overturned in the National Assembly. So, how much does the General Fuel Levy bring in exactly, and where does the money end up? Every time you fill your car, 16c per litre for petrol and 15c per litre for diesel goes to the government. The General Fuel Levy did not increase in more than three years, until 2025. And earlier this month, the National Treasury gazetted the division of its General Fuel Levy funds … Motorists queue at a filling station ahead of a fuel price hike. Image: Waldo Swiegers/Bloomberg via Getty Images As such, South Africa's General Fuel Levy is estimated to bring in R17 billion to government's tax coffers over the coming financial year. And the National Treasury is allocating funds across eight major metros like so, reports TopAuto : 1. City of Johannesburg – R4 572 million 2. eThekwini – R3 875 million 3. City of Cape Town – R2 851 million 4. Ekurhuleni – R1 795 million 5. City of Tshwane – R1 666 million 6. Nelson Mandela Bay – R862 million 7. Buffalo City – R798 million 8. Manguang – R427 million Total – R16 849 million However, while the National Treasury decides where GFL funds are allocated, it is at the metros' discretion how the monies are spent. The Automobile Association (AA) says government needs to rethink its income generation policies that are putting undue stress on motorists. Image: File Petrol currently retails at an average of R21.00 per litre (July 2025). However, motorists pay R4 per litre of petrol and R3.85 per litre of diesel sold in South Africa towards the General Fuel Levy. Following 2025's adjustments, taxes and levies now make up 30% of what you pay at the pumps. Otherwise a litre of fuel would cost closer to R16. Therefore, the Automobile Association (AA) is outspoken about government over-reliance on taxing motorists. 'Although the 2025 increase may appear modest in isolation, it forms part of a worrying broader trend. Motorists are bearing the brunt of fiscal policy changes. South Africa should have a broader conversation about funding infrastructure, road safety, and public transport. None of these should unduly burden its citizens,' concludes the AA. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
TimesLIVE
a day ago
- TimesLIVE
How National Treasury cut costs of national dialogue
The National Treasury has put the brakes on planned spending on the national dialogue by banning air travel for delegates in three provinces neighbouring Gauteng, capping costs for hotel stays and halting the purchase of smartphones for facilitators. These are among the measures to ensure a major cost reduction ahead of the first national convention to be held from Friday until Sunday. The national convention is a preparatory platform that will kick-start the national dialogue and its agenda. At least 800 delegates are expected to form part of the dialogue scheduled for August 15 at Unisa's main campus in Pretoria, with eminent people from different groups expected to lead discussions. Delegates from Mpumalanga, North West and Limpopo have been prohibited from using air travel, according to one insider. In addition, spending on the hosting of the secretariat of the dialogue within the National Economic and Labour Council (Nedlac) has been cut after a plan to buy cellphones for facilitators was shelved by the Treasury. 'Nedlac will now provide a monthly user allowance of R300 per facilitator for airtime and data,' said another insider. TimesLIVE's sister publication, Sowetan, reported that in addition to the cost-cutting measures, the government plans to revive the Solidarity Fund as a platform to manage private sector contributions for the national dialogue. The fund previously operated as a rapid response support vehicle for the government's response to the Covid-19 pandemic. It will now be tasked with accepting contributions from civil society and philanthropies that will offer financial and in-kind support. Insiders said the government was planning to contribute up to 60% of the projected R450.4m cost of the dialogue, while the remainder would come from the private sector in various forms. The spending cut will see projected overhead costs for the opening convention slashed from an initial R24.5m to R8.6m, largely due to confirmed in-kind sponsorships, according to sources. 'All pre-existing budget allocations for public engagement, including imbizos, dialogues on social cohesion, moral regeneration programmes and constituency engagements, must be repurposed to support the national dialogue,' said one insider.
