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The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Johannesburg strongly rejects Mayor Dada Morero’s comments that the City should expropriate buildings without compensation in the inner city, in an attempt to curb the deterioration of the inner City.

The answer is the strict and efficient enforcement of the Municipal Planning and Problem Property Bylaws that exist to ensure that the very problems the Mayor claims to want to address, are resolved.

The city of Johannesburg has 28000 properties which they have failed to repair and maintain – many of those are now hijacked and have turned into slums. In one example the failure of the city to repair and maintain its own properties resulted in the unfortunate death of 76 people in the Usindiso fire – now Mayor Morero has his eyes set on more.

The mayor and his executive should much rather focus their efforts on:

Removing the red tape that makes it difficult for the private sector to take over some of the properties that the City owns;

Auction off some of the City-owned abandoned properties;

Redirect the funds generated from the sale of these properties towards service delivery, like fixing the water and electricity & road infrastructure; and

Hold officials accountable who are responsible for the decay of City properties while enforcing by-laws.

With this flippant, and underhanded comment the Mayor proves once more that he is unfit for office, and the reasoning behind our Motion of No Confidence holds truer than ever.

Issued by Cllr Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku - DA Johannesburg Caucus Leader