The Democratic Alliance (DA) on Friday accused Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero of incompetence, calling for new leadership immediately.

Morero appeared before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation to account for the growing water crisis across the City of Johannesburg.

“After failing on his promise to restore water in seven days, Dada Morero's presentation before the Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation unequivocally proves he is unfit to be mayor,” said DA spokesperson on Water and Sanitation Stephen Moore.

Moore noted that Morero did not have a ready plan for residents of Johannesburg, even while taps run dry, declaring that Johannesburg’s water crisis will not be fixed under his administration.

Moore said Morero did not have answers to important DA questions.

The DA wanted Morero to explain why he had let the water issues deteriorate and whether he would support Johannesburg Water in adopting a workable plan.

It also wanted him to answer on how he justifies, as mayor, cutting billions from water infrastructure when people can’t even rely on a working tap.

Moore said Morero had no answer to the R4-billion defunded from Joburg Water, which he said brought maintenance projects to a halt, causing the current crisis.

“When asked whether he would ring-fence funding to Joburg Water, to fix the mess his government has caused, he also had no answers,” explained Moore.

He highlighted that the crisis in Joburg would only worsen owing to Morero’s “incompetence.”

“For months the DA has exposed the City’s failing water system. From leaks that run for years without repair, to Rand Water reservoirs plunging, and most recently, the R4-billion that Mayor Morero quietly shifted away from Johannesburg Water while residents were left queuing at tankers,” he explained.

The party claimed that the current allocated budget by Morero was insufficient to resolve the crisis.

“. . . the City of Johannesburg is unwilling to give Joburg Water the resources it needs to fix the crisis in the City. Joburg Water has concrete plans - but lacks support and resources from the City.

“It is clear that Johannesburg's water crisis will not be fixed under this administration. Johannesburg needs a new government as soon as possible, or residents will continue to remain in the lurch,” he noted.

The party also warned Minister of Water and Sanitation Pemmy Majodina that if she did not intervene, she risked being complicit in Morero's failing millions of Johannesburg residents.

“Johannesburg needs strong, dedicated, experienced leadership, that will not sit on its hands while residents suffer. Dada Morero and this administration are not that. Change must come immediately,” the DA said.