Ramaphosa’s visit to Joburg CBD welcomed as long overdue

Governance expert, Professor Sam Koma, says President Cyril Ramaphosa’s visit to the City of Joburg was long overdue.

Over the past two days, President Ramaphosa engaged with Gauteng’s leadership, tackling several pressing issues that continue to plague South Africa’s economic hub.

The President expressed deep concern over the deteriorating state of Johannesburg, once a vibrant and bustling city, lamenting that urgent action is needed to restore it to its former glory.

“One or two meetings of the two G20 meetings I attended here were not very pleasing, the environment that one observed  was not a pleasing environment.”

The President went on to highlight that the city’s readiness to host the G20 Leaders’ Summit in November was called into question.

He said Johannesburg failed the first test run during the first meeting held in Nasrec last month.

Ramaphosa stressed that if Gauteng fails, it will have a ripple effect on the country’s success.

Addressing another pressing issue, Ramaphosa called for the use of the Expropriation Act to seize hijacked buildings in the Johannesburg CBD.

He says the  derelict properties, with no rightful owners, must be repurposed into much-needed housing to provide shelter to those in need.

The call for action follows the tragic fire in 2023 at an abandoned building in Marshalltown, which claimed the lives of over 70 people.

 This heartbreaking incident highlighted the urgent need for intervention.

Professor Koma also weighed in, suggesting that President Ramaphosa should consider forming a national intervention team, led by the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), to address the ongoing decay within the city.

“Johannesburg aspires to be a world-class African city, but the current reality paints a starkly different picture,” Koma remarked.

“Issues like illegal drilling, unlawful water connections, water shedding, illegal mining, and deplorable living conditions in the inner city have severely tarnished its reputation.”

The city’s decline has left residents to bear the brunt of poor service delivery.

In a somber moment, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi apologised to Ramaphosa, acknowledging the severity of the situation and the pressing need for change.