Mayor Dada Morero’s vision for the city remains a nightmare for many
08 May 2025 - 17:20
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Johannesburg mayor Dada Morero. Picture: GALLO IMAGES/SHARON SERETLO
The glossy booklet distributed at Johannesburg mayor Dada Morero’s state of the city address proudly proclaimed: “The Joburg we all want.” Yet I must ask: does this vision reflect the reality of our communities?
In various wards the picture is grim. The turnaround time for electricity outages has increased from 24 hours to almost two weeks. Reports of leaks to Joburg Water often go unanswered, leaving residents frustrated and helpless.
Our streets are frequently flooded, potholes have become daily hazards and functioning street lights are now a rare luxury. This is far from the better Joburg we are promised.
These are not isolated incidents — they represent systemic failures that continue to erode residents’ trust in the city’s ability to deliver. The mayor’s vision of an ideal Johannesburg is at best aspirational; at worst, it feels entirely disconnected from reality.
The city leadership needs to urgently bridge the gap between vision and action, because right now “The Joburg we all want” feels very far from the one we are forced to endure.
Tsepo Mhlongo Orlando East
JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Send us an email with your comments to letters@businesslive.co.za. Letters of more than 300 words will be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Writers should include a daytime telephone number.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
LETTER: This isn’t the Joburg we all want
Mayor Dada Morero’s vision for the city remains a nightmare for many
The glossy booklet distributed at Johannesburg mayor Dada Morero’s state of the city address proudly proclaimed: “The Joburg we all want.” Yet I must ask: does this vision reflect the reality of our communities?
In various wards the picture is grim. The turnaround time for electricity outages has increased from 24 hours to almost two weeks. Reports of leaks to Joburg Water often go unanswered, leaving residents frustrated and helpless.
Our streets are frequently flooded, potholes have become daily hazards and functioning street lights are now a rare luxury. This is far from the better Joburg we are promised.
These are not isolated incidents — they represent systemic failures that continue to erode residents’ trust in the city’s ability to deliver. The mayor’s vision of an ideal Johannesburg is at best aspirational; at worst, it feels entirely disconnected from reality.
The city leadership needs to urgently bridge the gap between vision and action, because right now “The Joburg we all want” feels very far from the one we are forced to endure.
Tsepo Mhlongo
Orlando East
JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Send us an email with your comments to letters@businesslive.co.za. Letters of more than 300 words will be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Writers should include a daytime telephone number.
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