LORATO TSHENKENG | Is mayor Dada Morero out of touch with Joburg’s struggles?

Johannesburg, affectionately known as Joburg, is a city synonymous with political drama. With diaper-like changes in the executive council resulting in nine mayors in less than a decade, the city has again become the backdrop for a striking failure in communication.

On March 19, the same day mayor Dada Morero addressed the 2025 Brand SA Nation Brand Forum, outlining his administration's commitment to reclaiming the city and tackling challenges, an embarrassing and out-of-touch with reality influencer marketing campaign dubbed #JoburgServiceDelivery emerged on X.

The campaign, featuring nearly identical captions celebrating the City of Joburg’s official opening of a R95mn clinic in Naledi, Soweto, that same morning was no accident.

Morero has since distanced himself from the campaign, insisting it wasn’t sanctioned by his office. Fair enough. While the clinic’s opening is commendable, let’s not pretend this isn’t precisely how propaganda is deployed, with orchestrated campaigns, coordinated messaging, manufactured authenticity and a disconnect from the on the ground realities of Joburgers.

Call it a coincidence if you want, but when a disingenuous influencer campaign rolls out in sync with a high-profile Nation Brand Forum appearance and a multimillion-rand service delivery project, we’re no longer talking about random events, we’re talking about a coordinated PR strategy. Whether the mayor knew or not, this is how perception management is executed in the digital era. How can we forget the ever-divisive Bell Pottinger campaign that took advantage of the fissures in our country’s race tensions? But I digress.

The Nation Brand Forum is an annual gathering that brings together stakeholders to develop strategic socio-economic solutions aimed at rebuilding the economy, creating jobs, alleviating inequality and poverty and enhancing the reputation and competitiveness of the nation brand.

The communication miscarriage and insensitivity prompted me to reflect on the contrasting leadership styles and public engagement of Gauteng’s neighbouring mayors, Tshwane’s Dr Nasiphi Moya and Morero. Both are products of our unstable coalition era, navigating fragile alliances and competing interests.

You might ask: “Why bother?”

I have two reasons.

As the publisher of the annual South African Government Leaders on X report and a reputation management specialist, I live by the axiom: PR is what you do, not what you say.

Most importantly, Tshwane and Joburg, two economic giants, together contribute significantly to SA’s GDP. With its 6.1-million residents according to its 2024/25 Integrated Development Plan and R967bn economy, Joburg remains the country’s commercial heartbeat. Tshwane, home to 4.04-million people and a R616bn economy according to their 2023/24 Draft Annual Report, serves as the administrative capital. Tshwane’s population number is based on the 2022 Census by Statistics South Africa.

Moya has brought refreshing energy to Tshwane’s governance since her appointment in October last year. Her administration has been characterised by visible service delivery progress and accountability, earning praise from residents who have long endured poor or absent service delivery, financial mismanagement and infrastructure decay. Under her leadership, the city has launched initiatives such as “Reclaim our City”, aimed at enforcing bylaws and cleaning up the Pretoria CBD, ironically mirroring Morero’s mission.

Residents of Tshwane continue to report cleaner streets, a responsive city and visible law enforcement officers cracking down on illegal parking. These are– significant improvements compared to previous administrations. Sentiment on social media echoes the optimism, with users praising her proactive approach to tackling long-standing issues.

On X, where she has nearly 40,000 followers, she actively engages with residents by addressing their queries and concerns. She is undoubtedly the most engaged public representative if her social media accounts are anything to go by. Every day, she is either interacting with residents at town halls, on-site with city officials ensuring businesses comply with regulations, or attending church services, connecting with Tshwane residents in an unparalleled manner. Her visibility doesn’t require her to pay influencers to sway public perception.

Moya’s leadership reflects a deeper shift in how coalition politics functions in the digital age. Her administration has become adept at creating the impression of coalition harmony through carefully managed public appearances with partners.

In contrast, Joburg, under Morero, continues to fall short of its brand promise of being a world-class African city. It grapples with alarmingly high crime rates and deteriorating service delivery and governance, symbolising a city in decline.

Residents have grown weary of unfulfilled promises. Dysfunctional traffic lights, poorly managed City Power, potholes and water shortages are hallmarks of today’s Joburg, an embarrassment to the country’s economic hub. Hijacked buildings remain symbols of lawlessness, with tragedies such as the Usindiso building fire exposing governance failures that have cost lives.

Morero’s administration has struggled to inspire confidence. His controversial proposal to hire foreign nationals for the Johannesburg metropolitan police department was swiftly rejected by his party after a public backlash. The misstep highlighted his lack of alignment with local priorities, particularly in a city where unemployment remains pressing. Social media sentiment around Morero reflects scepticism and frustration, and petitions demanding his removal have garnered many signatures.

On X, Morero’s official account has fewer than 8,000 followers. His social media presence is often criticised for being less interactive and lacking engagement. Meanwhile, his participation in significant events such as the Urban 20 summit was meant to position him as a leader in urban governance. Instead, much to residents’ irritation, Morero put his foot in his mouth again by announcing plans to prioritise roads G20 representatives will use during their stay. Talk about being totally out of touch with Joburg residents’ struggles.

Morero’s team remains stuck in a pre-digital mindset. Their belated attempt to play catch-up through what appears to be a coordinated influencer campaign, regardless of who authorised it, only highlights their fundamental misunderstanding of how modern coalition stability increasingly depends on public perception management. Campaigns such as #JoburgServiceDelivery can be effective if they genuinely reflect residents’ experiences. However, they risk undermining trust if perceived as superficial or disconnected from reality.

The contrast between Moya and Morero underscores a fundamental truth: effective governance in the modern era requires action and engagement. Leaders can no longer govern from a distance. They must be visible, accessible and responsive to their constituents’ needs.

As residents and ratepayers of the vital economic engines, citizens deserve leadership that combines substantive delivery with radical transparency. While Moya’s citizen engagement and digital accountability revolution is commendable, it isn’t perfect. It borders on performative politics, something only Tshwane residents can disprove. Digital accountability inherently disadvantages digitally disconnected communities in a country with deep inequality. However, both, when done well and considerate of the digital divide, represent a fundamental shift toward governance that answers directly to citizens rather than bureaucratic processes that alienate the same citizens.

For cities aiming to improve governance and sustainable service delivery, the lesson is clear: citizen engagement is not optional. It is the cornerstone of effective leadership. It isn’t simply a matter of communication style. As Johannesburg and Tshwane residents continue to voice their experiences, the future of governance will be shaped by those who choose to listen, respond and act.

In the era of fragmented politics and institutional distrust, the leader who masters delivery and accountability sets the standard for modern governance. By that measure, Moya is not only outperforming her Joburg counterpart but redefining what citizens should expect from all public representatives in the digital age.

While leadership is often assessed through political manoeuvring and strategic alliances, it is ultimately judged by citizens’ everyday realities. And that, fellow Gautengers, is worth more than all the hashtags, influencer campaigns and press releases combined.

Tshenkeng is the founder and CEO of Decode Communications, a Pan-African reputation management firm.

TimesLIVE