Mayor Dada Morero has narrowly survived a motion of no confidence brought by the Democratic Alliance (DA), following a tense Johannesburg City Council vote on June 25, 2025.
The final tally — 144 votes against, 75 in favour, and 43 abstentions — ensured that the ANC-led coalition, bolstered by the EFF, Patriotic Alliance, and several smaller parties, was able to shield Morero from removal, despite mounting criticism over Johannesburg’s deteriorating service delivery.
The DA, holding 71 council seats, needed 136 votes to unseat the embattled mayor. Despite support from the Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus) and the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP), the opposition bloc fell significantly short.
In a surprise twist, ActionSA, often aligned with the ANC in the city, abstained from the vote. While stopping short of backing Morero’s removal, the party issued a sharp rebuke of his leadership, pointing to failing water systems, electricity outages, and crumbling infrastructure across the metro.
“The mayor’s leadership has been nothing short of disastrous,” an ActionSA councillor said. “But we refuse to support opportunistic motions that lack a viable alternative.”
The outcome highlights the fragile but functional alliances that continue to define Johannesburg’s political terrain, with ideological differences set aside in favor of coalition stability — for now.
Critics argue that Morero’s survival represents a missed opportunity for accountability, while his supporters see the result as an endorsement of political continuity in the face of opposition manoeuvring.
With pressure mounting from residents over failing services and mismanagement, all eyes now turn to how Morero and his coalition partners will respond to growing discontent on the ground.
