Joburg residents have expressed their frustration and disappointment after Mayor Dada Morero admitted that the city will only fix roads and infrastructure because of the upcoming G20 summit.
Johannesburg and Tshwane are set to host the Urban 20 Mayor’s Summit, which will feature representatives from G20 nations.
South Africa is chairing the G20 this year, and some of the summit’s guests will be traveling through Johannesburg.
Mayor Faces Backlash Over G20 Priorities
During a briefing on March 3, Morero made it clear that the city’s main focus right now is the roads that will be used by G20 representatives.
“We are doing our level best, we’ve prioritised certain routes within Johannesburg, which are G20 routes, to ensure that at least we can make them the standard that they should be; no potholes, no traffic signals that aren’t working,” Morero said.
However, his comment didn’t sit well with Joburg residents, who were quick to point out that the city’s infrastructure issues had long been ignored.
The statement implied that the city was only taking action to fix things because of the international attention surrounding the summit.
City Infrastructure in Decline
For years, Johannesburg has seen its infrastructure deteriorate, with the inner city facing the brunt of the issues.
Traffic lights on major highways remain broken, forcing homeless people to step in and direct traffic during rush hour.
In addition, many suburbs struggle with water shortages, caused by aging infrastructure and widespread theft and vandalism.
Morero’s statement sparked outrage online, with many people questioning the city’s priorities.
On social media, users expressed their disbelief at the idea that the municipality would only act when it was to benefit G20 visitors.
Public Outrage Grows Over Prioritization of G20 Routes
Morne Viljoen voiced his frustration on X (formerly Twitter), saying, “Let me translate: ‘We will bulls***t our international guests to think we’re capable of managing things like roads, water, and electricity.
We can’t be embarrassed by showing them the truth.’”
Others, like @Sbusiso_Rza, criticized the ANC government for failing its people.
“What Dada Morero is saying is that if it wasn’t for the G20, the Joburg metropolitan and its decaying state would not have been maintained at all? The ANC government has failed our country dismally, and it’s concerning.”
Some residents pointed out that they had already noticed improvements to major routes in recent months, such as streetlights on the M1 being replaced and traffic lights repaired.
“I already saw this happening in January,” wrote @RoelfDiedericks.
“Street lights on the M1 being replaced (after years) and traffic lights and streets on main routes being fixed.”
Unresolved Issues on Bree Street
Meanwhile, residents are still waiting for repairs on Bree Street in the Johannesburg CBD, which has been closed for over 20 months since a gas explosion damaged buildings and vehicles.
The explosion, which occurred in July 2023, left behind significant destruction, but miraculously no fatalities.
The City of Johannesburg set aside R198 million to repair the street, but as of February, only 15% of the work had been completed.
The company contracted for the job has spent just R2.2 million of the allocated budget, raising questions about the efficiency and priorities of the city’s leadership.
A Divided Response to Morero’s Statement
As frustration continues to grow among residents, many are left wondering whether the city will ever address its ongoing infrastructure issues without the external pressure of hosting a global summit.
The question remains: will Johannesburg’s infrastructure only improve when the world is watching, or will residents finally see lasting change for their own benefit?