Johannesburg MMC for roads and transport Kenny Kunene has accused mayor Dada Morero of overstepping his authority by unilaterally suspending Rea Vaya feeder bus services in Soweto and ignoring legal and technical advice from officials.
In a memorandum dated January 23 that was sent to the mayor’s office and which TimesLIVE has seen, Kunene said the mayor’s decision to suspend the feeder buses was never tabled before the mayoral committee.
“This matter was never presented to the mayoral committee. Consequently, collective responsibility does not apply,” Kunene said.
He claimed transport officials repeatedly warned that the mayor did not have the legal authority to suspend the services, as such powers lay with the national government and were subject to parliamentary processes.
“Officials advised that the executive mayor was effectively punching above his pay grade,” Kunene said.
Kunene added that the city was still paying the bus operators despite the buses not operating, resulting in unnecessary financial and legal risk.
The feeder services, which link Soweto commuters to Rea Vaya’s main trunk routes, have been suspended since February 2025.
Kunene said public frustration over the shutdown had largely been directed at his office, prompting him to publicly explain how the decision was taken.
He said the suspension followed pressure from Soweto taxi services, which raised concerns about licensing and pushed for an increased shareholding in bus operating companies.
However, city officials later confirmed the buses were fully licensed and that taxi operators were already part of the system through existing arrangements.
Kunene said the issue was escalated to the city manager’s office in June and again in September 2025, backed by a legal opinion warning of serious financial, legal and contractual consequences, but no response was received.
Kunene’s memorandum comes after Morero demanded evidence and documents of his claims against him.
In a letter dated January 22, Morero rejected Kunene’s claims, describing them as misleading and criticised the MMC for making public statements without first raising the issue through internal executive channels.
He denied acting unilaterally and asked Kunene to provide evidence to support his claims.
Morero warned that publicly blaming fellow executive members without prior engagement undermined collective accountability and could damage public confidence in the city’s leadership.
TimesLIVE