Opening remarks by President Cyril Ramaphosa at the meeting between the National Executive and the Johannesburg Executive Council, City of Johannesburg Council Chambers

Executive Mayor of Johannesburg, Cllr Dada Morero,
Premier of Gauteng, Mr Panyaza Lesufi,
Ministers and Deputy Ministers,
MMCs,
Speaker of Council,
Colleagues ,

I want to thank all of you for attending this important meeting. 

This is a pivotal year for South Africa, as we become the first African country to lead the G20. 

In an increasingly complex geopolitical environment, we have an important contribution to make to strengthening multilateralism and advocating for greater representation of the Global South. 

Johannesburg will be the host of G20 Leaders’ Summit in November 2025. Here in the City of Gold, the world’s leaders will gather to discuss issues of global importance.

The visit today by the National Executive is part of our efforts to strengthen cooperative governance and implement the District Development Model. 

Yesterday we met with the Gauteng Executive Council on the province’s priorities to drive inclusive growth and job creation.

The presence at yesterday’s meeting of the province’s Executive Mayors was an important reminder of how the work of all spheres of government are closely intertwined. 

The City of Johannesburg is special to all of us. It is where millions of South Africans have come to shape their economic future in pursuit of a better life. 

As the largest metro in the country, responsible for 16 percent of South Africa’s GDP, Johannesburg is integral to the economy as a whole. 

It is the economic and cultural heartbeat of our nation. 

Johannesburg’s success is the nation’s success.

By the same measure, when Johannesburg struggles to overcome its challenges, the effects are felt across the whole country. 

Johannesburg today faces enormous challenges, ranging from financial and governance instability to rapidly deteriorating infrastructure. 

Water and electricity interruptions have become the norm. This has an enormous impact on the quality of life of citizens and the operations of businesses. 

The road infrastructure faces tremendous challenges. These include vandalism of traffic lights, dysfunctional street lights and rapidly deteriorating roads and bridges. 

These are just some of the challenges that are constraining growth in the country’s economic heartland. 

As national government, we understand the constraints faced by the city and appreciate the leadership shown by the Executive Mayor and his executive to stabilise governance and financial management. 

Without these critical levers, service delivery will not improve. 

Through Operation Vulindlela, government’s economic reform programme, there is increasing recognition of the need for local government reforms that enhance capacity, strengthen financial sustainability, and make it easier to invest in infrastructure. 

Many of the challenges currently faced by the City of Johannesburg are similar to challenges faced by other metros. 

A year ago, I established the Presidential eThekwini Working Group with the support of local stakeholders, including business, labour and civil society. 

Working with these stakeholders and the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, led by Mayor Cyril Xaba, we were able to unblock several challenges. 

We were able to fast-track water supply agreements for the Upper Mkhomazi Water Project, improving effluence compliance and reducing non-revenue water through infrastructure upgrades. 

We ensured a successful summer holiday period as beaches remained open, holiday hotspots were cleaned, critical infrastructure refurbished and police visibility increased. 

The result of this ongoing work has been a marked improvement in business confidence and a sense by all stakeholders that eThekwini is on the road to recovery. 

We would like to implement this collaborative approach in the City of Johannesburg as part of the District Development Model. 

We are proposing the establishment of Presidential Johannesburg Working Group.

This would bring in all levels of government and the expertise of our stakeholders to accelerate service delivery, stabilise the city’s finances and operations, and enable economic growth and job creation. 

A special focus of our efforts should be the rejuvenation of the inner city. 

This historic part of our city has been allowed to deteriorate for much too long. 

Efforts must be taken to make it a liveable, thriving and safe space for all citizens.

We must work to ensure the inner city is primed to attract new investment and jobs. 

I thank the Executive Mayor and his team for engaging openly and in a collaborative sprit with the Presidency on this support mechanism. 

It is in this spirit that we will make real strides to unlock Johannesburg’s role as the engine of growth for South Africa’s economy. 

We look forward to engaging on the report we will receive from the Executive Mayor and the city leadership. 

We also look forward to the engagement we have planned with the city’s stakeholders this afternoon. 

We will listen to their concerns and incorporate their proposals for how we can improve service delivery and enable growth. 

Let us double our efforts to build a city that works for all South Africans, a city that celebrates our diversity and embodies the unity espoused in our Constitution. 

When our visitors leave after the G20 Leaders’ Summit, let them leave inspired by what they saw and experienced in Johannesburg.

For our citizens, let us make them proud once again to call Johannesburg their home. 

I thank you.