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IOL News
6 hours ago
- Politics
- IOL News
Dr Snuki Zikalala heads Johannesburg's new 'Bomb Squad' to tackle municipal challenges
Johannesburg mayor Dada Morero unveiled the 'Bomb Squad' team aimed at tackling challenges facing the city. Image: Timothy Bernard / Independent Newspapers The City of Johannesburg has roped in several former bosses to serve in its 'Bomb Squad', led by ANC Veterans League president Dr Snuki Zikalala, to help fix the municipality for the next two years. Johannesburg mayor Dada Morero on Thursday announced that Zikalala, a former SABC news executive, would lead the team and be its only member to be remunerated. Three former Joburg city managers Blake Mosley-Lefatola, Mavela Dlamini, and Professor Trevor Fowler, will be joined by the municipality's other erstwhile executives, Gerald Dumas (ex-chief operations officer), former community development executive director Philisiwe Twala-Tau, who is a representative of the SA Local Government Association, and former chief financial officer Reggie Boqo. Also part of the Bomb Squad are Morero's advisor Vicky Shuping, National School Government principal and member of the city's performance audit committee Busani Ngcaweni, economic and social policy researcher Dr Khwezi Mabasa, EFF senior researcher Dr Gumani Tshimomola, and Audrey Mothupi, Systemic Logic Group chief executive. Morero said the Joburg Bomb Squad will be a specialised unit assisting the city to arrest crime and grime, fight lawlessness, unlock service delivery bottlenecks, and accelerate delivery. Among its objectives are to activate rapid response teams in response to reported service delivery hotspots, be the mayor's eyes and ears, activate rapid interventions to address lawlessness, and execute a minimum programme of high-impact visibility. Their work will consist of, but not be limited to, monitoring and fast-tracking of the 10 key points as identified and announced during Morero's State of the City Address last month. These include implementation of a pothole programme, execution of grass cutting, operational traffic lights across the city, elimination of illegal refuse dumps across all communities, fixing of streetlights in townships and on the highways, addressing sewerage spillages in townships and informal settlements, and formalisation of informal settlements. 'The work of the Bomb Squad will be informed by adopting a precinct approach throughout the city. An appropriate implementation will be developed to give expression to it. It will also be necessary for the Bomb Squad to develop appropriate interaction mechanisms with the city's service delivery war room,' Morero said. He added that the work of the Bomb Squad will be led by Zikalala with support from the project management office, leveraging the existing capacity in the municipality's administration. The Bomb Squad's work became operational from this month and its administrative support will be provided through the chief operations officer. According to Morero, there is no budget allocated to the Bomb Squad as it is individuals that have responsibilities in other departments of government or in the private sector and are giving their time and expertise free of charge. However, the city will allocate a budget for Zikalala as it wants him to be on a full-time basis and will be paid a stipend. Morero said three of the Bomb Squad members have financial expertise to help turn around the city's finances, its collection rate, and other financial issues, including expenditure. He also expressed hope that in the next year or so, the city's surplus will be just around R5 billion to indicate a turnaround in its finances and an economy growing by 1% to 3% in the next three years. Zikalala said they were volunteering to ensure that they bring credibility to the city and ensure there are skills and competence. [email protected]
IOL News
6 hours ago
- Politics
- IOL News
City of Joburg mayor Dada Morero insists ‘Bomb Squad' appointment is not a sign of weakness
Joburg mayor Dada Morero has denied that appointing the 'Bomb Squad' to tackle challenges across the city would show that he's failing to address those problems on his own. Image: IOL Graphic City of Joburg Mayor Dada Morero has denied that appointing the 'Bomb Squad', a team comprising ANC- and EFF-linked members, former city managers, and executives, indicates weakness or a failure to address the city's ongoing challenges. Earlier, IOL News reported that the team was officially announced on Thursday during a media briefing at the Soweto Hotel in Kliptown. Morero said the team will focus on addressing 'crime and grime,' lawlessness, service delivery bottlenecks, and fast-tracking municipal turnaround efforts. He insisted the initiative does not reflect an inability on his part to govern effectively, and blamed the city's decline on previous administrations. 'It's not a thing that is acknowledged in the decline that has happened in the city since 2016, and now we want to arrest and change this,' Morero said. 'In general, the city has resources out there.' Herman Mashaba, the leader of ActionSA, led the administration in 2016. 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 ✕ The metro faces multiple challenges, including hijacked buildings, chronic water shortages, rolling blackouts, pothole-riddled roads, broken traffic signals, rampant crime, and municipal corruption. Residents have repeatedly voiced concerns about the city's inability to resolve these issues. Morero first introduced the Bomb Squad during his State of the City Address (SOCA) in May. The team is led by ANC Veterans League president Dr. Snuki Zikalala and includes several figures, such as former city managers Blake Mosley-Lefatole, Mavela Dlamini, and Professor Trevor Fowler. Also joining are Gerald Dumas, a former chief operations officer, and Reggie Boqo, the city's former group chief financial officer. Philisiwe Twala-Tau will represent the South African Local Government Association, focusing on governance. Vicky Shuping, an advisor to the mayor, will coordinate service delivery and urban management. Meanwhile, Busani Ngwani, of the National School of Government and the Group Performance Audit Committee, will work on improving governance. The team also includes Dr. Kwezi Mabasa of the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, and EFF senior researcher Dr. Gumani Tshimomola, both of whom will contribute to economic development planning. Audrey Mothupi, CEO of Systemic Logic Group, will handle private sector partnerships. Morero said most of the members are volunteering their services and are already employed within Johannesburg or other municipalities. Only Zikalala will receive a salary, he said. 'You are saying we volunteer our money, our time, resources, and expertise to help you turn around,' Morero said. 'We have acknowledged that we've had a stubborn environment in changing our financial status.' He said the city needs at least three financial experts to help turn around its finances, addressing issues such as overspending and budget inefficiencies. 'That is why we believe this team will give the necessary support to the current executives who do accept that, yes, there are inefficiencies,' he told the media. 'I also had a meeting with the executives to introduce the Bomb Squad, which was widely received.' Morero said the mayoral committee supports the initiative and has even proposed additional names. 'They've made other recommendations with the collective ownership of the mayoral committee. It's not a duplication, it's a support mechanism where there are gaps and weaknesses,' he said. He added that while there is no timeline for the 'Bomb Squad,' they hope to see major progress within the next year. He said he aims to leave a financial surplus of R5 billion by June 2026. 'We want to grow the economy of the city by another 1% to 3% in the next five years,' Morero said. 'It requires that those focusing on economic growth help us implement policies to achieve that goal.' He emphasised that the team's mandate is to support, not replace existing city departments and enhance service delivery. 'These are individuals who are not employed by the city but are volunteering to give support and share their expertise,' Morero said. IOL Politics
IOL News
8 hours ago
- Politics
- IOL News
ANC, EFF members join 'Bomb Squad' to help turn things around in Joburg at no pay
Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero and Dr. Snuki Zikalala announce the new 'Bomb Squad' task team during a media briefing at the Soweto Hotel, Kliptown. Image: Timothy Bernad/African Neww Agency (ANA) ANC-linked members, former city managers, and EFF members have been roped in to form a part of a task team called the 'Bomb Squad,' aimed at tackling the City of Johannesburg's service delivery issues and governance challenges. The team was officially announced on Thursday at the Soweto Hotel in Kliptown by City of Johannesburg mayor Dada Morero. Addressing the media, Morero said the unit will focus on combating 'crime and grime,' lawlessness, and service delivery bottlenecks, and to fast-track municipal turnaround efforts. 'Business intelligence gathering will be at the core of the Bomb Squad's work,' Morero said. 'This will be executed by holding meetings with relevant authorities to isolate areas vulnerable to land and building invasions and propose proactive interventions.' According to Morero, the team's key objectives include activating rapid response teams in identified service delivery hotspots, acting as the eyes and ears of the executive mayor, and enabling swift interventions to address lawlessness. The initiative comes as the metro is battling with challenges, including hijacked buildings, chronic water shortages, rolling power outages, pothole-riddled roads, broken traffic lights, rampant crime, and widespread municipal corruption. Residents have repeatedly voiced frustration over the city's inability to address these persistent issues. During his State of the City Address in May, Morero first announced the formation of the Bomb Squad, which is to be led by ANC Veterans League president Dr. Snuki Zikalala. He said the team's mandate is to identify key problem areas and support city departments in delivering effective services. The 'Bomb Squad' includes several high-profile figures, including former city managers and executives such as Blake Mosley-Lefatole, Mavela Dlamini, and Professor Trevor Fowler. Gerald Dumas, a former chief operations officer, also joins the team, alongside Reggie Boqo, the city's former group chief finance officer. Philisiwe Twala-Tau will represent SALGA with a focus on enforcing good governance principles, while Vicky Shuping, an advisor to the mayor, will coordinate service delivery and urban management efforts. Principal Busani Ngwani, from the National School of Governance and a member of the Group Performance Audit Committee, will focus on governance improvements. In addition to the team are Dr. Kwezi Mabasa, from the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, and EFF senior researcher Dr. Gumani Tshimomola, both of whom will contribute to economic development strategies, Morero said. Audrey Mothupi, CEO of Systemic Logic Group, will manage partnerships with the private sector. Morero said most of the team members are already employed in Johannesburg or in other municipalities and are volunteering their services. He told the media that only Zikalala will receive a salary.
IOL News
10 hours ago
- Politics
- IOL News
Joburg mayor Dada Morero unveils ‘Bomb Squad' team to tackle city's problems ahead of G20 Summit
Mayor Dada Morero will unveil the 'Bomb Squad' team aimed at tackling challenges facing the city Image: Timothy Bernard /Independent Newspapers City of Joburg Mayor Dada Morero will unveil the 'Bomb Squad' team on Thursday morning, which will be led by ANC Veterans League president Dr Snuki Zikalala, aimed at tackling the city's dire challenges ahead of the upcoming G20 Summit. Morero will unveil the team at the Soweto Hotel. Last month, IOL News reported that during his State of the City Address (SOCA), Morero said the City would create what they call the 'Bomb Squad,' to be led by Zikalala. Its mandate, according to him, will be to identify problem areas and intervene in support of responsible units to ensure the municipality delivers efficient services. Morero said this is part of a broader turnaround plan for the city. The city is battling challenges including hijacked buildings, a water shortage crisis, constant power outages, pothole-riddled roads, non-functioning traffic and street lights, rampant crime, and widespread corruption in various departments. These challenges have persisted for years, with residents across the city expressing concern about the lack of service delivery. However, little has been done to address the problems. In military terms, a bomb squad is responsible for identifying and neutralizing explosives. Morero used the analogy to describe the team's mission. 'This COJ Bomb Squad must remove constraints that impact the city's ability to create the Joburg we want to see,' Morero said last month. Zikalala is the president of the ANC Veterans League and a former head of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC). The Bomb Squad will begin operations in June. According to the city, the team will be linked to and embedded in the newly announced Johannesburg Presidential Support Working Group (JPSWG), created by President Cyril Ramaphosa to maximize impact and avoid duplication or uncoordinated interventions. This comes after Ramaphosa voiced deep disappointment in March over the deteriorating state of the city during a meeting with the Johannesburg City Council. 'Water and electricity interruptions have become the norm. This has an enormous impact on the quality of life of citizens and the operations of businesses,' Ramaphosa said at that time. 'Johannesburg today faces enormous challenges, ranging from financial and governance instability to rapidly deteriorating infrastructure.'
The Citizen
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Citizen
The honeymoon is over: ANC and ActionSA's marriage turns 'toxic'
Morero is accused of not consulting his coalition partners on the budget and on his state of the city address. Just a few months after ActionSA helped ANC regional chairperson Dada Morero become the mayor of Johannesburg, the party has described its relationship with Morero as 'toxic'. This comes after Morero allegedly ignored ActionSA's concerns over the 2025/2026 budget, despite ActionSA being considered a coalition partner in the governing of Johannesburg. Morero is accused of lobbying smaller parties to vote in favour of a controversial R89 billion budget that has been described as anti-poor and flawed. Speaking to The Citizen on Friday, Mashaba said the passing of the budget is a sign that Morero no longer needs support from ActionSA. 'He has shown us that he does not need us but we will not become voting cows to serve his agenda,' he said. Mashaba said he had complained to the ANC provincial task team about Morero's questionable leadership in Johannesburg. This includes the appointments of tainted individuals to powerful positions and unethical behaviour. 'He is failing the residents of Johannesburg; he does not appoint people on the basis of merit. For him to tell me that he appointed the MMC of finance because he wants to control her is shocking. 'I have made the ANC aware of these things and they are also concerned,' he said. Motion of no confidence Mashaba said ActionSA had not decided which way it would vote when Morero faces a motion of no confidence vote next month. 'We will take the next step as it comes. He does not need our vote, it is clear that he has his partners that will protect him,' he said. The DA and the African Democratic Christian Party (ACDP) have already indicated that they will vote in favour of the motion. Will ActionSA take the opposition benches? Meanwhile, Mashaba said even though ActionSA occupies the speaker position in the legislature, the party will not support questionable decisions by the mayor just to keep the position. 'We did not beg or ask anyone to give us the speaker position. If they decide that they do not want us, that decision is not ours. 'They are the ones who approached us to give us the position. If they gave us the position to soften us to become voting cattle, then they made a big mistake,' he said. Mashaba said ActionSA will continue to use its position in the legislature to hold Morero's administration accountable. 'We will hold them accountable officially as long as we run the legislature,' he said. Local government elections He said the party still hopes to boot the ANC out of power in the upcoming local government elections next year. 'What we need to work on is to ensure that residents of Johannesburg vote ActionSA into power and remove the ANC. 'Residents cannot keep empowering the ANC, we have demonstrated that where we govern, we always act in the best interests of our residents,' he said. Mashaba said it is unlikely that the ANC would remove ActionSA from the legislature, as negotiations for that position had taken place at the provincial level. ALSO READ: Joburg's new city manager? Botes is a bad choice, says DA Mashaba's soft spot for Joburg The Citizen sent questions to the ANC in Johannesburg and Morero spokesperson Chris Vondo about tensions with ActionSA. There had been no response at the time this article was published. Meanwhile, Ntsikelelo Breakfast a political analyst from Nelson Mandela University (NMU) told The Citizen that Mashaba had leaned towards a relationship with the ANC despite challenges along the way to avoid working with the DA. 'One could say ActionSA is stuck between a rock and a hard place. The reason that this party was started wa because of the discontent that Mashaba had with the DA. 'So instead of Mashaba gravitating to a party that made him have a broken heart I think he chose to work with the ANC which was a surprise because ActionSA has always said they will never work with the ANC because the ANC is corrupt,' he said. Breakfast said it is clear that Mashaba has a soft spot for Johannesburg because he had been mayor before and perhaps wanted to preserve his legacy. NOW READ: How Joburg plans to spend R89 billion
