JOBURG mayor Dada Morero has officially launched the city's new "Joburg Bomb Squad".
This is a special task team led by ANC veteran and ANC Veterans League president Dr Snuki Zikalala.
Unveiled during a media briefing held in Kliptown, Soweto, on Thursday, 5 June, Morero described the "Joburg Bomb Squad" (JBS) as a group of experienced public servants tasked with rescuing the city from its current decline.
The aim is to oversee and accelerate the implementation of Joburg's service delivery plans, many of which have come under increasing scrutiny amid mounting infrastructure failures, lawlessness, and governance challenges.
"The JBS, under the leadership of Dr Snuki Joseph Zikalala, said it will become operational in June 2025. June is here, and it is starting. And its work begins in Kliptown.
"When the going gets tough, they will apply the military definition to their work. And when hope is needed, the Springbok definition will be applied. A one-point win is a victory for a nation," Morero said.
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The mayor described the bomb squad as a specialised unit to help combat crime and urban decay, tackle lawlessness, and remove service delivery bottlenecks.
"Secondly, the business intelligence gathering will be at the core of the work of the JBS.
"This will be executed by having meetings with the relevant parties or authorities to isolate areas of potential land and/or building invasions and to propose proactive intervention," he said.
Morero explained that the squad's work will be structured using a "precinct approach" to target and co-ordinate efforts across the city.
"An appropriate implementation plan will be developed to give expression to it.
"It will also be necessary for the Bomb Squad to develop appropriate interaction mechanisms with the City's Service Delivery War Room," he said.
Highlighting the urgency of results, the mayor called on young people and the broader public to hold the administration accountable for the 50 integrated projects outlined in the Kliptown Urban Development Framework.
"These projects are aimed at improving housing, upgrading informal settlements, enhancing public spaces, and building infrastructure that supports opportunity."
Key projects include:
- The R43 million Kliptown Multipurpose Centre is part of the city's Regeneration Programme, which will offer skills training, youth development, and community services.
- A new business precinct south of Kliptown Railway Station to support township enterprises.
- Initiatives to uplift informal traders and SMMEs by improving market access and facilities.
- Strategies to increase tourism around Walter Sisulu Square, boosting job creation and cultural celebration.
Mayor Morero concluded with a challenge to the city's leadership and citizens alike: "In this month of June, society, especially young people, must hold us accountable."
