Some residents of Ormonde View, south of Johannesburg, have spoken out about their experience of living next to where the G20 Leaders’ Summit was hosted, complaining about the “devastating” impact of the hard lockdown on their movements while some were happy that the gathering finally brought service delivery to their area.
Last week, the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (Natjoints), which co-ordinates the country’s security cluster, heightened security around the high-profile event where heads of states would be gathering.
Natjoints co-chair Lt-Gen Tebello Mosikili said a hard lockdown means that only individuals with valid accreditation will be allowed in and around the summit venues.
According to Tshepo Mosiane, secretary-general of the Ormonde View Residents Association, the summit had a “massive and devastating” impact on residents.
He said their movements were limited to a two-hour window between 8am and 10am from Thursday, and a complete shutdown on Friday and Saturday. “Most children couldn’t attend school, and many adults missed work,” she said.
“Learners had to reschedule exams. We weren’t consulted at all. We had to go around chasing information from Nasrec and authorities, and it became clear everything was beyond our control.”
Mosiane said even emergencies were also affected. “We had a death in the area on Tuesday and were forced to bring the funeral forward to Friday just to accommodate the G20 lockdown.”
She also raised concerns about unfulfilled promises. “We were told there would be jobs and support for local small businesses by Nasrec management. None of our residents were hired. External companies came in with their own staff.”
Residents with access cards to prove they lived in the area were still turned away at checkpoints, she said.
“People were almost held hostage in their own homes. With past events, like the Trevor Noah or Trevor Scott shows, there was better coordination, we had stickers, clear times, and predictable access. This time, the information changed constantly.”
What frustrated residents most, she said, was seeing quick fixes outside their community while their own long-standing problems remain unresolved.
“We have over 100 streetlights that haven’t worked in two years. We complain and are told there’s no budget. But suddenly the main road is beautified, trees are wrapped in colours, potholes fixed, road markings repainted — yet inside Ormonde View, nothing changes.”
However, not all residents had the same experience.
Karabo More, who has lived in Ormonde View for over 15 years, told Sowetan he was able to move freely throughout the summit. “I could go in and out with no issues,” he said.
“Compared to other events, this was well-coordinated. There was service delivery; potholes repaired, streetlights working, CCTV cameras installed, and more police visibility along the main routes.”
More said residents were kept informed through the residents’ association and event coordinators, which eased movement. “It wasn’t stressful at all. We thought it would be hectic, but it wasn’t. They even kept lanes open for locals right until the last day.”
He said coordination is often worse during football matches at FNB Stadium.
“When Chiefs and Pirates play, that’s when it becomes nearly impossible to move around. This time was much better.”
The G20 meeting ends on Sunday and everything is expected to return to normal on Monday.
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