The ANC has criticised Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero following an expletive-laden confrontation with a resident in Tshepisong.
ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa described the mayor’s conduct as unacceptable while noting that Morero had publicly apologised for the incident.
Ramaphosa was speaking during an ANC campaign visit to Tshepisong in Soweto, where residents raised concerns about ongoing service-delivery problems.
The ANC leader said the party had addressed Morero over his behaviour and expressed hope that residents would accept the mayor’s apology.
Ramaphosa Calls Morero’s Conduct Unacceptable
Ramaphosa did not defend Morero’s outburst, instead making it clear that the ANC had taken issue with the Johannesburg mayor’s conduct.
“Our mayor has made utterances which we find completely unacceptable, but he has apologised. He’s gone public and apologised and we, as the ANC, have taken him up on that.
[MK Party Names Bongani Baloyi As Johannesburg Mayoral Candidate For 2026 Elections]
“And I do also hope that our people will accept the apology that he has given. It has not been damage control. Our people here did not even raise the issue. Not a single one raised the issue.”
Morero’s apology comes as the ANC campaigns ahead of the 2026 local government elections, with service delivery expected to be a major issue among Johannesburg residents.
Tshepisong Resident Highlights Eight-Month Power Crisis
While Ramaphosa was engaging with residents during the campaign, community members voiced their frustrations over basic services.
Ellen Sinda told the ANC leader that her home had been without electricity for eight months.
She said the prolonged outage had been particularly difficult during winter, when she also struggled to obtain fuel for heating and cooking.
“We have had no electricity for eight months now. In those eight months, winter arrived. We didn’t even have coal to use. I stay alone, and I have no one to go and collect wood for me,” Sinda said.
The concerns raised in Tshepisong highlight the service-delivery challenges facing communities in Johannesburg as political parties intensify their campaigns ahead of the local government elections.
Ramaphosa’s visit comes as the ANC seeks to strengthen its support in Johannesburg and other Gauteng municipalities.
SEE TODAY'S TOP HEADLINES ACROSS LEADING PUBLICATIONS
The party has been engaging communities over issues including electricity, infrastructure and local government services.
Morero’s controversy adds another dimension to the ANC’s campaign in Johannesburg, with the party now publicly distancing itself from the mayor’s conduct while acknowledging his apology.
