“We Never Dropped the Ball":Morero Dismisses Claims City Halted CBD Clean-Up After G20

• Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero has rejected claims that the city halted clean-up efforts in the CBD after the November G20 summit
• Speaking at a clean-up operation, Morero reaffirmed that revitalising the inner city and enforcing by-laws remain top priorities
• He also called on residents and businesses to take part in keeping Johannesburg clean, amid growing public concern over littering and urban decay

City of Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero has dismissed claims that the city abandoned clean-up efforts in the central business district (CBD) following the November G20 summit, insisting that inner-city revitalisation remains a top priority for his administration.

Speaking to Eyewitness News during a clean-up operation on Tuesday, 20 January 2026, Morero said the city never halted its programmes.

He, however, acknowledged that operations were temporarily affected during the festive season due to staff taking leave, particularly within the Pikitup waste management unit.

“We say it is not true that we stopped. There were challenges during the festive season as a lot of people had taken. leave, especially at Pikitup. This affected the operations in the inner city. We are back full force, we are not going to drop the ball,” he said.

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Morero speaks on the cleanup operation.

The mayor emphasised that the ongoing campaign is aimed not only at removing waste but also at restoring law and order in the CBD.

“This operation is to continue to clean and enforce the by-laws so people can see the city is serious about the restoration of cleanliness, law and order,” Morero added.

He reiterated that keeping Johannesburg clean remains a key focus of the city government and urged residents and businesses to play their part.

“Cleaning of the city continues to be a priority. We call on people of this community to participate in cleaning the city,” he said.

Morero’s remarks come amid growing public concern about the state of the CBD, with residents and business owners calling for sustained action to address littering, illegal dumping and general urban decay.

Morero under scrutiny as new confidence motion looms

The clean-up operation comes as Morero faces renewed political pressure after the United Democratic Movement (UDM) and Al Jama-ah Party lodged a motion of no confidence against him. This marks the second such attempt this season after a previous motion was withdrawn at the last minute. Morero, who has been in office for 16 months, was already challenged earlier when a Democratic Alliance-sponsored no-confidence motion was defeated in June 2025 during a council sitting. Critics argue that his leadership has been marked by coalition tensions and service delivery concerns, while Morero maintains confidence that the latest motion will not succeed.

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Articles on Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero

Previously, Briefly News reported that Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero has been removed as the African National Congress’s (ANC) regional chairperson in Johannesburg following the party’s 16th Regional Conference, where Loyiso Masuku was elected to lead the ANC in the city. The leadership change came after Morero and Masuku competed for the chairpersonship at the conference, with Masuku becoming the first woman to head the ANC in the region.

In other news, Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero publicly reprimanded Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) officers after he observed them sitting in patrol vehicles instead of actively enforcing the law on the city’s streets. Morero shared a video showing several JMPD officers remaining in their cars while lawlessness persisted, and warned that disciplinary action would follow because such inaction is unacceptable. The incident drew significant public reaction on social media, with South Africans divided between praising his stance and questioning why accountability had been delayed.

Source: Briefly News