President Cyril Ramaphosa has defended the City of Johannesburg’s extensive clean-up operations ahead of the upcoming G20 Leaders’ Summit, saying the improvements should serve as a benchmark for long-term service delivery rather than a short-term cosmetic fix.
Speaking in the National Assembly on Thursday afternoon, the president said it was “only natural” for the city to prepare itself before welcoming global leaders later this month. He pointed to India’s preparations when it hosted the G20 in 2023, saying it was clear that “every host nation puts its best foot forward.”
“It’s normal to spruce up before visitors arrive,” Ramaphosa said. “We want to show Johannesburg – and South Africa – at its best. But more importantly, this clean-up should set the standard for how we deliver services going forward.”
The president also acknowledged Johannesburg’s ongoing service delivery challenges, admitting that the condition of many local municipalities was “not pleasing at all.”
“Our local government situation is not pleasing. We must all admit that,” Ramaphosa told MPs. “But rather than point fingers, I call on all of us to stand up and do something.”
Opposition parties, however, were less convinced. The Democratic Alliance’s Ryan Smith criticised government efforts, saying residents had been forced to endure years of poor service delivery and urban decay, only to see the city being “beautified” because of the G20 spotlight.
Despite the criticism, Ramaphosa maintained that the G20 clean-up should not be dismissed as superficial. He said the initiative should mark the beginning of consistent improvements in waste management, infrastructure, and maintenance across Johannesburg and other cities.
“We don’t want to fall back to what Johannesburg was,” he said. “We are going to use this as a benchmark.”
Ramaphosa, who recently returned from visits to Indonesia, Vietnam, and Malaysia, said he was struck by how clean and well-maintained their capital cities were, adding that South Africa should strive for similar standards.
The G20 Leaders’ Summit is set to take place in Johannesburg in just over two weeks’ time. City officials have been ramping up efforts to repair roads, clean littered areas, and restore public spaces as the world’s attention turns to South Africa’s economic hub.