Joburg Mayor Dada Morero launches 'Bomb Squad' to tackle crime and grime plaguing the city
Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero delivered his state of the city address at the city council on Wednesday.
Image: Kamogelo Moichela / IOL Politics
Councillors aligned the ANC in the Joburg Council broke out into chants of praise when City Mayor Dada Morero announced that he will be introducing a “Bomb Squad” to tackle the city's dire state.
The bomb squad will be led by ANC veteran, Snuki Zikalala, Morero revealed during his State of the City address (SOCA) at the Johannesburg Council on Wednesday.
According to the mayor, this was part of the turnaround plan for the city.
In military language, a bomb squad has the responsibility of examining and removing bombs that are found and preventing them from exploding.
“This COJ Bomb Squad must remove constraints that impact the City’s ability to create the Joburg we want to see,” Morero explained.
Zikalala is the ANC Veterans’ League (ANCVL) president and former head of the SA Broadcasting Corporation (SABC).
The bomb squad will swing into operational from June.
This will add to the Presidential Task Force that was launched by President Cyril Ramaphosa in March - who bemoaned the dire state of the inner city recently.
Some of Morero’s plans included adding an economic work stream within the presidential package, declaring a State of Disaster for crime and lawlessness from July 2025, and also declaring war on potholes, illegal connection, land invasion, illegal mining operations, illegal dumping and undocumented migrants.
To achieve an inclusive city, Morero further urged residents to take care of the city and ensure that their environment was safe and secure.
kamogelo.moichela@iol.co.za
IOL Politics