Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has lifted the lid on a string of brazen crimes that unfolded across Johannesburg while the city hosted the prestigious G20 Leaders’ Summit — exposing how criminals operated freely even as thousands of police officers were deployed to protect world leaders.
Despite government hailing the summit as a major success, Lesufi admitted that behind the scenes, Joburg law enforcement was fighting a wave of incidents ranging from petty theft to attempted robberies of police officers.
Nearly 1 800 arrests as criminals tested the system
Lesufi said 1 799 suspects were arrested in the week leading up to the summit — a number that illustrates how busy police were despite the tightened security footprint around key G20 sites.
The arrests covered a range of crimes, including trespassing, armed offences, robbery, and opportunistic theft targeting international guests.
4am ‘transaction’ dispute involving Brazilian pilots
One of the most bizarre incidents occurred around 4am in Sandton, where two Brazilian pilots got into a dispute with two women they had met earlier that night.
According to Lesufi, the pilots attempted to leave an Uber and walk to Kempton Park before police intervened. Officers were then forced to mediate a “business transaction” disagreement, which ended only after the parties agreed to a significantly reduced payment.
The matter was quietly resolved on the scene.
G20 delegation pick-pocketed inside Sandton City
Members of the Vietnamese delegation were targeted inside Checkers at Sandton City, where their mobile phones and luggage were stolen. Within hours, police arrested four suspects, but the incident underscored vulnerabilities around one of Joburg’s busiest malls even during a global summit.
Police themselves not spared
In another incident, a police officer stationed at the Mercure Hotel in Randburg was robbed, leading to two swift arrests.
Separately, a man was detained at the Da Vinci Hotel for carrying a firearm without the proper documentation — an alarming discovery at one of Sandton’s high-security establishments.
Lesufi also revealed that a suspect attempted to rob a police vehicle on a Johannesburg highway using a toy gun.
Infrastructure buckled under pressure
While law enforcement was stretched, Joburg’s infrastructure also showed signs of strain. Heavy rain reopened potholes that had been repaired ahead of the summit, and several traffic lights malfunctioned across key routes.
Some international delegates struggled with navigation because all provincial road signs are in English — something Lesufi said Gauteng would review for future events.
Energy supply held, but outages persisted in parts of Joburg
Lesufi insisted that Gauteng’s energy plan ensured uninterrupted power at key locations including hotels, business districts and G20 transport corridors. However, this did not prevent outages from hitting surrounding communities during the same period.
Economic boost overshadowed by deeper concerns
Early estimates suggest the G20 generated between R1 billion and R3 billion in provincial investment over the weekend.
But the crime incidents — from pick-pocketing diplomats to robbing police officers — have raised questions about the city’s ability to guarantee safety beyond temporary summit security measures.
As Gauteng positions itself to host more mega-events, Lesufi’s briefing has reignited public debate about whether Joburg can truly keep crime at bay when the world is not watching.