ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba has dismissed Mayor Dada Morero’s State of the City Address (SOCA).
Image: Itumeleng English/Independent Newspapers
Former Johannesburg mayor and ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba has warned about the state of Johannesburg, saying residents are being failed by a city that is slowly falling apart.
Speaking hours before the State of the City Address (SOCA) on Wednesday, Mashaba said people were tired of political speeches while their daily lives were becoming harder.
“Residents live the crisis every day,” he said.
Mayor Dada Morero is expected to deliver his address at St Mary’s Cathedral in the Joburg CBD amid mounting pressure to convince residents that his administration can reverse the decline in the country’s economic hub.
Mashaba painted a grim picture of Johannesburg, pointing to broken traffic lights, potholes, water outages, electricity cuts, sewage spills and rising crime across the city.
He said businesses are struggling to survive, families no longer feel safe and residents are paying more for worse services.
According to Mashaba, Johannesburg has lost the energy and hope that once made it South Africa’s economic powerhouse.
“This city used to represent opportunity,” he said. “Now many residents feel abandoned.”
Mashaba blamed years of political instability, weak leadership and corruption for the city’s decline. He said constant political fighting inside the municipality has left residents suffering while basic infrastructure collapses.
He also warned that Johannesburg’s financial problems are becoming more serious, saying the city risks deeper trouble if urgent action is not taken.
Despite the criticism, Mashaba said Johannesburg can still recover.
He defended his time as mayor between 2016 and 2019, saying his administration improved infrastructure spending, increased law enforcement and worked to rebuild confidence in the city.
“We already proved Johannesburg can work,” he said.
Mashaba promised that an ActionSA-led government would focus on fixing roads, restoring water and electricity systems, fighting corruption and improving public safety.
He also promised stronger action against hijacked buildings, cable theft and criminal syndicates operating in parts of the city.
But his message was aimed directly at frustrated residents.
Mashaba said Johannesburg is too important to be destroyed by poor leadership and endless political battles.
He is one of the official candidates eying the mayoral seat in the metro. Mashaba will go head-to-head with DA’s Helen Zille and IFP’s Mlungusi Mabaso.
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