President Cyril Ramaphosa visited Johannesburg today as part of a national government oversight visit to Gauteng ahead of the much-anticipated G20 Summit. The visit aimed to assess the state of the city and address pressing service delivery challenges, with the President expressing deep concerns over Johannesburg’s current condition.
During his visit to the city council in Braamfontein, President Ramaphosa met with Mayor Dada Morero and Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi. He did not hold back in voicing his disappointment, stating that it was “disheartening to witness the city in disarray during the G20 meetings held in the metro over the past two weeks.”
Reflecting on his personal experience at recent G20 events in Johannesburg, he remarked: “In the one or two meetings of the G20 that I attended here, it was not very pleasing. The environment that one observed was not a pleasing environment. I say this so that we can improve immensely.”
The President specifically highlighted Johannesburg’s traffic congestion, which has been worsened by malfunctioning traffic lights at major intersections. He also pointed to the inner city’s ongoing struggles, noting that despite revitalisation efforts, the area remains in disarray.
Comparing Johannesburg to other global cities that have hosted international gatherings, he stressed the need for substantial improvements.
SMread: Ramaphosa to visit Johannesburg amid service delivery challenges
Call for a World-Class Presentation at the G20 Summit
With South Africa set to host the G20 Leaders’ Summit later this year, and Johannesburg as the chosen host city, Ramaphosa emphasised the importance of ensuring the city is presentable on the global stage. He urged Gauteng to “pull up its socks and use this moment to defend its title as the host province.”
“Let us get that self-pride to lift us up so we present a G20 that will wow people. This is so that when people look at what we offer they just say ‘wow, this is how South Africans do it,'” he said.
Defending Mayor Morero’s plan to prioritise G20 routes, the President explained: “As we do in African tradition, when visitors come we make sure our abode, poor as it might be, becomes presentable and gives a good-look feel. The hospitality we roll out, the friendly disposition, must be there”.
He further stressed the importance of ensuring “Johannesburg and Gauteng to be at its best in terms of the physical and environmental presentation and the built-up environment where the meetings are going to take place,” adding that this would also create an “opportunity for tourism to flow.”
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A Race Against Time
Ramaphosa acknowledged that international delegates had already been in Johannesburg for ministerial gatherings of G20 member states, and with nearly 130 G20 meetings scheduled across Gauteng, including in Ekurhuleni and possibly Sedibeng, he urged the city to “act with speed to ensure the metro is in good condition before the G20 summit in November”.
He commented on the significance of this moment for Johannesburg and Gauteng: “As we are going to be getting visitors throughout the year, let us make our province and country presentable.” His vision is for “the name of Johannesburg and Gauteng to be inscribed into the history of the world” through the G20, provided the city rises to the occasion.
Picture: IOL
