POLL | Is Cape Town a better choice than Joburg to host the 2025 G20 summit?

07 March 2025 - 11:20 By TimesLIVE
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Johannesburg is hosting the G20 summit in November but Cape Town's mayor believes the Mother City is better suited to host a major event.
Johannesburg is hosting the G20 summit in November but Cape Town's mayor believes the Mother City is better suited to host a major event.
Image: Supplied

Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has suggested his city as an alternative host for the G20 summit later this year.

“Mr President, you can be assured that Cape Town is ready at any time to host the G20 Leaders’ Summit and represent SA with pride on the global stage,” Hill-Lewis said.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed concerns about Johannesburg’s ability to host the G20 summit in November.

Ramaphosa met with Johannesburg mayor Dada Morero and Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi on Thursday and addressed the council ahead of South Africa’s G20 hosting duties.

The president pointed to several issues plaguing the city, including governance failures, financial mismanagement, crumbling infrastructure, crime and unreliable service delivery.

Ramaphosa did not hold back, saying previous G20-related meetings in Johannesburg had “not left a good impression”.

He emphasised the need for improvement, noting: “The environment one observed was not pleasing. I say this so we can improve immensely.”

With concerns about Johannesburg's preparedness for such a high-profile event, the question arises: Should Cape Town step in as host for the 2025 G20 summit?

TimesLIVE


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