Maintenance and clean-up teams have been doing extensive work to ensure Gauteng is ready to host the G20 Summit on 22 and 23 November.
Gauteng government departments have flooded the province’s public spaces to ensure that all major roads leading to Johannesburg are in tip-top shape.
Highways, verges and embankments received maximum attention as South Africa’s economic heart prepares to host the world’s most prominent leaders.
Premier Panyaza Lesufi on Tuesday spoke of Gauteng’s readiness to host the summit, but opponents have questioned why this political will did not exist all year round.
Tight security for delegates
The provincial government released its state of readiness report on Tuesday, where it detailed the final preparation plans, as well as the work done so far.
Security will be tight from the time dignitaries are set to arrive and throughout the two-day event, with at least 20 hotels earmarked for full-time surveillance.
Security will be controlled by all law enforcement agencies available to the province, who will be tasked with monitoring all major routes.
“The routes are secured from all ports of entry to the hotels and the Johannesburg Expo Centre (Nasrec) and back to the hotels,” stated the readiness plan.
The routes to be travelled by the foreign diplomats have been the focal point of clean-up operations.
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Verges at major intersections and interchanges were cleaned and trimmed, with some embankments and islands even receiving new flower arrangements.
Curbs have been swept, cleaned and painted; signs in city centres have been painted; and major flag spots have been refurbished and cleaned, including Fountains Circle in Pretoria.
Clean-ups continuing
Items still on the checklist are street cleaning and litter picking, cleaning illegal dump sites, sweeping streets and the “disinfection of smelly areas”.
The areas around Nasrec and the N14 highway will receive machinery clean-up, and main roads such as Witkoppen, Malibongwe and Beyers Naude Drives will see litter picking, rubble removal and tree planting between 3 and 7 November.
Upon arrival, dignitaries passing through OR Tambo International will be greeted by a welcoming committee featuring a range of cultural groups.
Sepedi, Setswana, Zulu and Indian cultural performers will showcase their vocal and dance talents, interspersed with pantsula and street dance troupes.
Lesufi said on Tuesday that the makeover was the result of months of collaboration between local, provincial and national government, as well as labour unions and the taxi industry.
“The spirit of cooperation between the province and our municipalities has been exceptional.
“We intend to keep this mode of collaboration and adopt it as a blueprint we will use indefinitely to build a better province for everyone,” Lesufi stated.
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‘Lipstick on a pig’
However, DA Johannesburg caucus leader Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku expressed her disappointment that the provincial government prioritised international guests over residents.
“[This] sudden burst of efficiency ahead of the G20 really highlights what Johannesburg residents have known for years — that when the political will exists, things can get done.
“It’s an absolute disgrace that the same urgency and resources aren’t applied to fixing crumbling infrastructure, restoring reliable water supply, and addressing ongoing service delivery failures that citizens and residents live with daily,” Kayser-Echeozonjoku told The Citizen.
Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) CEO Wayne Duvenage said it was sad that it had taken a looming international spotlight to prompt service delivery.
“[It is] then only limited to the areas visible to the delegates. This is akin to putting lipstick on a pig,” Duvenage told The Citizen.
“The reality is a city that is pothole ridden, with traffic lights malfunctioning, lines not painted and covered in litter, which is being experienced by residents and businesses ongoingly,” he added.
‘Political optics’
Around-the-clock site security has been arranged for major electricity and water infrastructure points, as advised by a Johannesburg working committee established by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Kayser-Echeozonjoku suggested the president’s working committee was “more about political optics” than true collaboration.
“The focus seems to be on ensuring the city looks good for foreign dignitaries, rather than tackling the root problems that have left residents without water and basic services for weeks.
“[We] believe that the same energy being spent to impress international guests should be directed toward rebuilding Johannesburg for the people who call it home every day,” Kayser-Echeozonjoku concluded.
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