City of Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero is allegedly hoping to install the controversial CEO of the Joburg Property Company (JPC), Helen Botes as city manager following the departure of Floyd Brink earlier this month from the post.
However, his plans for Botes to occupy either the position of acting City Manager or acting Chief Operating Officer are likely to be met with resistance from both within the ANC and other key parties in the city’s coalition government.
The position of City Manager was left vacant following the departure of Floyd Brink earlier this month.
The Johannesburg High Court ruled that his appointment followed incorrect Council processes and that the position should be re-advertised.
The metro’s Executive Mayor is empowered to pick an acting City Manager while Council is in recess, and then seek ratification from Council at its first sitting.
However, the Daily News understands that coalition partners in the city have called for the appointment of city’s current Chief Operating Officer (COO) Tshepo Makola, who is also naturally next in line, to act as the City Manager.
Morero’s detractors, including his opponents in the ANC, are said to be not happy with his decision to appoint the controversial Botes.
A top ANC insider in the province who spoke to the Daily News on condition of anonymity said:
"He is pushing for the appointment of Botes in order to secure resources ahead of the ANC’s regional elective conference in June 2025. They are also desperate to secure resources for for the 2026 local government elections. Morero is currently the ANC’s Greater Johannesburg regional chairperson and will be vying to remain in power," he said.
Morero has not responded to requests for comment.
The ANC insider, who is also close to the developments in the city, added that should Morero concede to Makola becoming the acting City Manager, he could still push for Botes to become the acting COO.
The cloud over Botes head started when, she was fingered in a Special Investigating Unit (SIU) report in 2021 for financial misconduct and criminal charges after it was found she had a case to answer for alleged violations of Section 172(2) and 173(3) of the Municipal Finance Management Act.
That case was related to the improper procurement of questionable sanitising companies during the Covid-19 lockdown.
Other records show that the former board of JPC also took action against Botes in 2022 for a R27 million property transaction linked to a building called Proton House.
That money, which ballooned without explanation from around R2 million, was paid to a company that had only been in business for two months.
In addition, the South African Municipal Workers’ Union earlier this month called for Botes to be removed following the SIU report and other irregularities uncovered by the JPC.
Questions were also sent to Botes who has yet to respond to the allegations.
This is a developing story.
Daily News