Five key takeaways, including a 'bomb squad', from the Joburg State of the City Address

Under pressure to deliver, City of Johannesburg (CoJ) Executive Mayor Dada Morero delivered his maiden State of the City Address (Soca) on Wednesday, acknowledging the complex challenges his administration has been grappling with and his priorities for reform.

“Our challenges are complex,” he said, “and we don’t have infinite resources. Alone, we will not solve these challenges. For instance, the city is not financially stable, infrastructure is decaying and service delivery backlogs have reversed the gains we have made. Covid-19 alone set us back by 10 years.”



Here are five takeaways.

Jozi’s ‘bomb squad’

One of the major announcements made by the mayor was the introduction of a high-power implementation impact team known as the “bomb squad”, which will be led by ANC veteran Snuki Zikalala. While perhaps more commonly associated with the Springbok forwards who come off the bench en masse, the mayor explained his strategy in military terms.

“In military language, a bomb squad has the responsibility of examining and removing bombs that are found and to prevent them from exploding. This CoJ bomb squad must remove constraints that [are] impacting on the city’s ability to create the Joburg we want to see,” said Morero.

The team’s introduction is part of the city’s turnaround plan aimed at revitalising Joburg’s economy, improving service delivery and ensuring the city’s financial sustainability.

The plan comes a month after President Cyril Ramaphosa paid an official visit to the city (of which he is a resident) and didn’t like what he found. The visit was part of a government intervention aimed at arresting Joburg’s decline in service delivery.

Read more: ‘Not a pleasing environment’ — Ramaphosa says Joburg must fix its many problems, and fast

Ramaphosa’s trip came as the city grapples with governance failures, financial mismanagement, crumbling infrastructure, crime, lawlessness and unreliable service delivery. The state of Joburg was a key concern for Ramaphosa as the city will host the G20 Summit in November.

In his address, Morero also announced his administration’s intention to invest in neglected areas to fix infrastructure problems and make these communities economically stronger.

The city has set aside R3.03-billion in the Medium-Term Revenue Expenditure Framework to improve eight of the most underserved areas: Diepsloot, Southern Farms, Ivory Park/Kaalfontein, Orange Farm, Soweto, Riverlea, Zandspruit and Eldorado Park.

Zikalala is a straight-talking ANC leader who hasn’t been afraid to call out corruption. His bomb squad, combined with the intervention team from Operation Vulindlela, could provide an extra layer of impetus and accountability to address the city’s challenges.

Read more: Wanted: A new government for Johannesburg’s great people

Water cuts

Perhaps the most surprising aspect of Morero’s address was his focus on water, or, more accurately, his lack of focus. The water cuts that plagued the city for much of 2024 have eased, and Joburg has a water turnaround strategy that’s been welcomed by civil society, but as Dr Ferrial Adam of WaterCAN told Daily Maverick’s Ferial Haffajee, not enough is being done to fix its 20 broken reservoirs.

On Wednesday, Morero committed to “building resilience and reliability in water security through Joburg Water, which commands the largest average capital allocation. This programme is delivering a series of large-scale interventions aimed at securing Johannesburg’s water future.”

He noted the R40.3-million project to build the new 10-megalitre Carlswald Reservoir, but did not elaborate on the city’s key water problems — ageing infrastructure and rampant leaks — except for mentioning that it would use AI to help detect leaks.

While the water crisis appears to have been temporarily averted, Morero’s lack of focus on the issue could be concerning for residents who continue to face interruptions in supply.

Read more: Joburg’s failing water infrastructure a result of poor prioritisation, not lack of funds

Inner city revitalisation 

The inner city is crucial for South Africa’s richest metro and its 4.8 million residents. Morero’s administration intends to prioritise the revitalisation of the inner city, which was once vibrant but has become run down, with hijacked and abandoned buildings as well as concerns over crime.

At the core of the city’s major development plan is the inner city revitalisation project, which aims to upgrade infrastructure, renovate abandoned buildings, improve street lighting and bring safety and dignity back to the city’s centre.

“This investment will unlock mixed-income housing, attract commercial tenants and reignite the economy of the Central Business District (CBD). Key precincts such as Marshalltown, Jeppestown, Hillbrow and Braamfontein will benefit from this multilayered programme.

“The inner city is not just being restored, but we are transcending the so-called urbicide. It is being repositioned as the economic epicentre of the Gauteng city-region. We are reclaiming the inner city. This is personal,” said Morero.

Inner city revitalisation has been high on the agenda during the terms of the many Joburg administrations in recent years, but there’s been little to show for it. The Lilian Ngoyi Street explosion and its delayed rebuild, as well as the Usindiso fire, are but two examples of how bad the situation is.

There have been pockets of improvement, including Braamfontein and Hillbrow, but Morero will have to present tangible plans and reverse the inner city’s rapid decline to make it attractive to visitors and, more importantly, livable for its many residents.

Electricity tariffs

Electricity issues affect residents across the city who continue to face frequent outages and high electricity tariffs.

The recent introduction of the R200 surcharge fee has only added to the problem, and electricity costs under City Power are scheduled to increase by 12.74% this year. While Morero’s administration had previously promised to reverse the R200 fee, he did not address this on Wednesday, only acknowledging the struggles of industrial customers.

“The city is aware of the high electricity tariffs our customers are paying, especially industrial customers. These customers are major employers in our city and we need to support them so they are sustainable and financially viable. Through City Power, we will provide a relief tariff option to our industrial customers,” said Morero.

Read more: Mayor Morero faces backlash over proposed tariff hikes as financial strain deepens in Joburg

That will provide little solace for residents already buckling under the pressure of the increased cost of living and repeated outages due to City Power’s aged infrastructure.

Morero said the city was trying to reduce its reliance on Eskom, and last year had unveiled a recommissioned open-cycle gas turbine at the John Ware Substation, which would add 50MW to the grid.

“The big idea aims to reduce our reliance on generating capacity from Eskom. This new energy mix is designed to relieve the pressure on Eskom,” said Morero.

The mayor said R296-million had been allocated to connect informal areas in Diepsloot, Orange Farm, Ivory Park and Kya Sands to the grid.

“This initiative will provide safe and legal electricity access to thousands of households, integrating them into the urban energy system and laying the groundwork for service upgrades and formalisation. The programme also supports the city’s energy transition, through complementary investments in substation upgrades and energy efficiency retrofits,” said Morero.

City Power said it connected 2,675 households in informal settlements in the 2023/24 financial year, above the target of 2,500. According to the 2022 census, 94.1% of households in Joburg had access to electricity for lighting.

Waste infrastructure  

Waste disposal and collection were still a headache for many Joburg residents, said Morero. To solve this, the city is working on improving Pikitup’s landfill sites and waste systems to help Johannesburg move toward a circular economy.

The plan includes upgrading landfill sites at Goudkoppies, Marie Louise and Robinson Deep, setting up material recovery facilities and biodigesters, and getting a new waste collection fleet to improve services across the city.

In April, News24 reported that the lifespan of the city’s Ennerdale and Marie Louise landfills would end this year when they reach capacity, while Robinson Deep and Goudkoppies would reach capacity in 2026. It’s unclear how much time the upgrades will give Pikitup before it has to find new sites. DM