Politics in Johannesburg just got a little more heated.
After weeks of growing frustration over poor service delivery and alleged incompetence, the Democratic Alliance (DA) took a bold step—they tried to unseat Mayor Dada Morero with a motion of no confidence. But that plan didn’t go as hoped.
Instead, it exposed deeper political divisions and left many wondering who’s really looking out for the city.
DA Moves Against Morero Over ‘Lack of Delivery’
The DA launched the motion against Morero just ten months into his time in office.
Their argument? He wasn’t getting the job done.
According to them, Johannesburg’s services have been declining under his leadership, and something had to be done to stop the decay.
But when it came time to vote on Wednesday, 25 July, things didn’t go the DA’s way.
The ANC-led coalition, made up of 144 councillors, voted to protect Morero.
Only 75 councillors backed the motion to remove him, while 43 ActionSA members chose to sit it out by abstaining.
Adding another twist, the Speaker of the council—Nobuhle Mthembu from ActionSA—was also booted out through a separate no-confidence motion pushed by Al Jama-ah.
DA Criticizes Abstentions and Accuses ActionSA of Playing Politics
Following the vote, Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku, who leads the DA’s caucus in Johannesburg, didn’t hold back.
She said this moment clearly shows which parties care about service delivery and which are simply chasing power.
According to her, the DA stood firm in its principles by trying to remove the person “presiding over Johannesburg’s decay.”
She also took aim at ActionSA for abstaining, suggesting they were more interested in angling for executive positions than doing what’s best for residents.
“Their abstention is just a tactic,” she said, “a way to keep the door open for new negotiations rather than making a principled choice.”
Morero Responds: ‘I Saw It Coming’
For his part, Mayor Dada Morero wasn’t surprised by the outcome—and he didn’t seem too impressed with the DA’s efforts either.
Speaking after the vote, he said it was clear the DA wasn’t prepared.
“I expected a stronger case, but they came with weak arguments,” he remarked.
Morero hinted that the real issue might be a lack of leadership within the DA’s caucus.
He also brushed off the motion as little more than an election stunt, saying he was confident it wouldn’t pass even before the first vote was cast.
What Now for Johannesburg?
This vote might be over, but the story is far from finished.
With deep divisions still simmering in the council and public frustrations mounting over basic services, the pressure is on all parties to deliver—not just talk.
Was the DA right to challenge Morero’s leadership? Did ActionSA drop the ball by sitting out the vote? And most importantly, what does all this mean for the people who call Joburg home?