Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero. Picture: Michel Bega / The Citizen The man at the helm of the economic hub of the largest economy in southern Africa has had an eventful year as the city embraced global attention. However, next will be a greater test for Mayor Dada Morero as he leads the ANC’s campaign in a fierce mayoral battle, assuming he is backed by his party in the intervening months.
As to be expected for the mayor of a major regional node, Morero has battled critical domestic issues, while juggling the need to elevate the city to international standards. Here is a rundown of the Morero’s highs and lows of 2025: Possibly the biggest global event since the opening of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the euphoria and expectation around the G20 were on par. While President Cyril Ramaphosa and Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi had a significant hand in preparations, Morero will be proud of the city’s effort.
Crucial entities such a City Power kept the lights on, while Pikitup ensured the streets were scrubbed so that Morero could be remembered favourably as a G20 mayor. He promised theG20 standard would become the new norm, but the proof with only be seen in 2026 as the first small cracks begin to appear in those promises. The city’s G20 presentation was built on year-long service delivery operations and inner-city clean-ups, only for the never-ending stream of trash to return in December. As the year wound down, Morero stated that keeping the inner city clean was a persistent challenge and called for a national intervention.
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