The political ground beneath Johannesburg mayor Dada Morero is rapidly shifting, as minority coalition partners intensify efforts to remove him from office, marking yet another sign that his grip on power is weakening.
In the latest development, the Minority Governing Parties (MGP) have openly backed a City of Johannesburg’s Political Management Committee (PMC) resolution urging the ANC to facilitate Morero’s resignation.
The MGP is a coalition of 10 smaller parties that form part of the ANC-led government in the city council.
“Following intense deliberations, the PMC reached a firm and collective resolution that the continued tenure of the executive mayor was no longer sustainable in the interests of Johannesburg and the stability of the government of local Unity,” a statement from the MGP reads.
The resolution emerged from a high-stakes PMC meeting held on Tuesday, where coalition leaders were at the centre of the debate, which was growing dissatisfaction with the city’s leadership and the continued inability of the executive to stabilise governance.
According to the MGP, coalition partners expressed alarm at what they view as prolonged decision-making gridlock, arguing that political stagnation has begun to directly undermine service delivery and erode confidence within municipal structures.
ANC dominant party in council
While the ANC remains the dominant party in the council, it has acknowledged the gravity of the situation by requesting time to consult internally ahead of the council sitting scheduled for tomorrow.
“The MGP further commend the ANC for requesting time to consult its structures and for committing to report back to the Oversight and Management Committee (OMC) ahead of the council meeting scheduled for 29 January 2026. This demonstrates respect for coalition processes and collective decision-making,” it reads.
Morero has been on the firing line since last year. Al Jama-ah councillor Kabelo Gwamanda tabled a motion of no confidence in Morero, which was later withdrawn. Earlier on this month, he again requested that Morero be sacked and has placed a request that the vote be done via secret ballot.
“In the prevailing political climate, a secret ballot is the most appropriate mechanism to ensure a free and fair decision,” Gwamanda said in a letter dated January 16.
The parties accuse Morero of poor service delivery and failing to consult coalition partners on key decisions.
The motion comes at a time when there are factional wars playing out in the ANC. The battle lines have been drawn, with Morero questioning elective conference outcomes, which saw Loyiso Masuku beating him for the regional chair position.
Despite this, ANC Johannesburg secretary Sasabona Manganye made assurances that the party’s councillors will support Morero.
“It was prudent for Comrade Dada Morero to continue serving as executive mayor. Comrade Morero is an ANC deployee, accountable to the people of Johannesburg through the ANC, and to the democratically elected leadership of the 16th regional conference,” he said on Monday during a briefing.
