Johannesburg Executive Mayor Dada Morero has dismissed claims that the visible improvements in cleanliness and service delivery ahead of the G20 Leaders’ Summit (18-19 November 2025) were a temporary showcase, insisting the progress is sustainable and will continue long after world leaders have left Nasrec.
Speaking to the media on the final day of the summit, Morero threw down a direct challenge to sceptical residents: “Simple, check us on Tuesday. If we are not on the ground on Tuesday, then it means we are going for the summit. But if you see us in all the regions continuing to unblock service delivery failures through the Mayoral High Impact Service Delivery programme, we will be there.”
Key takeaways from the mayor’s address:
- No special G20 budget or resource diversion “We didn’t have to top up on anything,” Morero said. The recent wave of grass cutting, pothole repairs, refuse removal and inner-city clean-ups is simply the execution of the fully funded budget passed in June 2025, which already allocated resources to all seven regions, including the historically neglected Region F (inner city).
- Service delivery failures were a management problem, not a funding one The mayor reiterated that Johannesburg’s longstanding challenges stemmed from internal managerial constraints and political instability rather than a lack of money. Since taking office in November 2024, his focus has been on removing blockages, enforcing accountability among senior officials, and ensuring stability in the mayoral committee.
- Results are starting to show, but work remains Morero acknowledged that visible improvements only began emerging around mid-2025 after months of systemic restructuring. “We are seeing the results now, [but] not really where we want to be,” he said, highlighting outstanding internal issues, particularly debt management and revenue collection, that still require attention.
With the global spotlight now off Johannesburg, residents and ratepayers will be watching closely from Tuesday, 25 November 2025, to see whether the “high-impact” service delivery teams remain active across the city — or whether the familiar cycle of neglect resumes once the G20 effect fades.