ANC Johannesburg secretary Sasabona Manganye denies reports of a move to recall Mayor Dada Morero, saying no such decision or resolution was taken by the REC.
Image: Itumeleng English / Independent Newspapers
ANC Greater Johannesburg Regional Secretary Sasabona Manganye says there has never been any decision by the party’s Johannesburg Regional Executive Committee (REC) to recall Executive Mayor Dada Morero, dismissing reports suggesting otherwise and clarifying that such powers do not reside at regional level.
Manganye was responding to public debate following remarks by ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula, who stated that the Johannesburg mayor “is going nowhere” and that no regional structure has the authority to remove a metro mayor.
The comments came after reports that the REC had resolved to push for Morero’s removal.
In an interview on SABC, Manganye said the REC was fully aware that decisions relating to metro mayors fall outside its mandate, adding that “there have never been any decision in the Regional Executive Committee to recall the mayor”.
He described the reports as inaccurate and said the matter had been misrepresented in the media, which in turn prompted a response from Mbalula based on incorrect premises.
He further explained that at its first meeting in December, the REC had instead reaffirmed its support for Morero and the mayoral collective, stating that the committee had “took a decision to say we are reaffirming our support for the executive mayor and the collective with the work that they are doing in the city of Johannesburg”.
Manganye said a more recent REC meeting had focused on internal organisational matters, including a court case brought against the ANC by an individual he identified as an employee in the mayor’s office.
He described the legal action as premature, saying the individual had “jumped the gun and decided to go to court before he could exhaust internal organisational processes”, adding that the ANC would address the matter both internally and through the courts.
On Morero’s suitability to remain in office, Manganye indicated that the REC was guided by national processes currently underway to finalise the ANC’s mayoral candidate for Johannesburg. He said the outcome of that process would determine the way forward regarding the city’s leadership.
“The comfort that the regional executive committee has is the fact that the national office bearers through the secretary general have made a commitment to finalise the process of selecting the mayoral candidate for Johannesburg,” he said.
Manganye acknowledged that while there were weaknesses in governance, these did not warrant the mayor’s removal.
He said the party had identified areas requiring improvement and was engaging its deployees internally to address them.
“Those weaknesses are weaknesses that we believe can be improved. They don't necessarily warrant a removal,” he said.
He maintained that the authority to appoint or remove a mayor rests with the ANC’s national leadership, adding that the region would abide by any outcome of the candidate selection process.
He said if a new mayoral candidate were to be announced and deployed immediately, the region would support that decision, but equally would accept if no immediate change was made.
“The possibility exists, but the decision lies with the national office bearers,” Manganye said.
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