Gauteng leaders have received a stern rebuke from President Cyril Ramaphosa, who ordered them to “make our metros presentable” because the eyes of the world will be on the province as it hosts G20 meetings.
Ramaphosa was speaking this morning during a meeting with the province's leaders to discuss ways to improve service delivery to the residents where he also expressed disappointment at the state of Johannesburg.
“Sometimes it is good to be direct and to tell it as it is. I should say one or two G20 meetings I attended here was not pleasing. The environment that one observed was not pleasing. I say this so that we improve immensely.
“As South Africans, we are proud people, let that self-pride lift us so that we do present a G20 that will wow people,” he said.
According to Ramaphosa, the G20 meetings mean that the eyes of the world will be on Gauteng and Johannesburg and should, therefore, be in tip-top positions and to showcase themselves to the world.
“They must be at their best in terms of their physical presentation, the environmental presentation and the built-up environment where meetings will be taking place.
“I say so because when we go to other locales places to hold meetings, we find that those places are in tip-top position where they showcase precisely what they have able to offer.”
Many parts of Gauteng have been besieged by service delivery problems such as the lack of water that resulted in some of the provinces' courts shutting down and residents having to queue for water at tankers that had been brought into their areas. There have also been issues with electricity and decaying infrastructures such as roads that are filled with potholes and also flooded during rains due to lack of maintenance on the stormwater drains.
As South Africans, we are proud people, let that self-pride lift us so that we do present a G20 that will wow people
— President Cyril Ramaphosa
However, Ramaphosa said there are recurring problems in Gauteng and which include governance failures, financial mismanagement, crumbling infrastructure, crime and lawless and unreliable service delivery.
“Our greatest challenge in Gauteng are unemployment and poverty ... challenges we must all face on. It is the single most critical economic hub and serves as a powerhouse of finance, governance, industry and innovation
“The economic success of Gauteng is integral to the economic success of our country. If Gauteng fails, SA cannot succeed,” he said.
Gauteng premier Lesufi Panyaza said they were are seeking guidance and partnership from Ramaphosa that if they don't solve the province's 13 problems, then their presence is for naught.
“So, if we have to reverse the impact of this G13, if we have to work extraordinarily hard to ensure that these G13 problems of our state are resolved, we need each other, we need to work together; we need to plan together, we need to execute these missions together. So, president, we are here to seek your counsel, we are here to seek your guidance, but most importantly, we are here to form a formidable partnership with you,” he said.
Ramaphosa agreed with Panyaza stating that if they don't move with speed to address the challenges, they risk undermining the progress they've made.
He said what emerges from this meeting must not remain as just plans on paper.
“The outcomes of this meeting must be transformed into practical, measurable interventions that directly benefit the people of Gauteng. Through a collaborative and solutions-orientated approach, we will drive sustainable development, improve service delivery and enhance the quality of life for all who call this province home,” Ramaphosa said.
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