Ethical Leadership? CoJ does not get it …. or, does not care!
CoJ Under Fire from Joburg Crisis Alliance Over 'Unethical' Appointments
The Joburg Crisis Alliance (JCA) believes the City does not value ethical and competent leadership, which has led to a lack of public trust. The JCA has criticized several key appointments, including Sithembiso Zungu recently appointed as the MMC for Group Corporate and Shared Services.
The Joburg Crisis Alliance (JCA) is critical of the City of Johannesburg's (CoJ) leadership, citing a disregard for ethical and competent governance. The JCA's convenor, Neeshan Balton, questions how the public can trust the city when it repeatedly demonstrates this lack of regard for ethical leadership. One of the JCA's five main campaigns is to ensure ethical and competent leadership.
The JCA has voiced concerns about several appointments and actions:
Sithembiso Zungu: Executive Mayor Dada Morero appointed Sithembiso Zungu as the MMC for Group Corporate and Shared Services, despite media allegations against him. Zungu is accused of being a "Construction Mafia" kingpin andof being sentenced to two months in prison by the Gauteng High Court in 2019. A media outlet labelled him "South Africa’s Dirtiest Politician". The JCA is calling for Mayor Morero to immediately replace Zungu with a more suitable candidate to show a commitment to ethical leadership.
Helen Botes: The JCA has campaigned against the appointment of Helen Botes as the City's Chief Operating Officer and also responded to rumours that she was being considered for the vacant Acting City Manager position. The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) has initiated legal action to have Botes, a director of the City of Joburg Property Company (JPC), declared a delinquent director.
Gwamanda: In 2024, the JCA campaigned for the removal of former Mayor Gwamanda due to allegations of unethical behaviour.
The JCA has also addressed the city's financial misconduct. Mayor Morero announced the creation of a disciplinary board to investigate unauthorized, irregular, fruitless, and wasteful expenditure (UIFWE). This action follows a letter from Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana, who sought to know the city's plan for addressing UIFWE and enforcing consequence management. The JCA has written to the Minister of Finance asking for the city's response to be shared with the public, enabling residents to hold the city accountable.
The JCA plans to hold its next Summit on August 30, 2025, to further review actions that can be taken in support of ethical leadership. The alliance also supports tighter legislation from the Local Government White Paper Review to raise the bar for those eligible to serve as municipal councillors.
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