In a landmark move to address Johannesburg’s most pressing challenges, President Cyril Ramaphosa has launched the Presidential Johannesburg Working Group. This initiative, announced during a two-day cabinet oversight visit to Gauteng, aims to provide coordinated support to the city over the next two years. The Working Group will focus on seven critical areas to stabilize and revitalize Johannesburg, ensuring it becomes a city that works for all its residents.
The Need for Intervention
The initiative was prompted by a letter from Johannesburg’s mayor in February, seeking technical and political support to tackle the city’s urgent challenges. Rapid urbanization, aging infrastructure, and financial sustainability issues have placed immense strain on Johannesburg, necessitating a collaborative effort to reimagine its future.
Key Focus Areas of the Working Group
The Presidential Johannesburg Working Group will concentrate on seven priority areas:
- Governance and Financial Sustainability:
Restoring political and administrative stability, strengthening capacity, and securing financial health with support from the National Treasury and the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs. - Electricity and Energy:
Driving the City Power turnaround plan to upgrade infrastructure, reduce losses, and introduce alternative energy solutions. - Safety and Security:
Strengthening law enforcement and urban safety, improving coordination between the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) and the South African Police Service (SAPS), and implementing robust urban management strategies. - Inner City Rejuvenation:
Revitalizing the historic Central Business District (CBD) through improved safety, infrastructure renewal, housing development, and economic growth initiatives. - Water and Sanitation:
Implementing the Johannesburg Water turnaround strategy to safeguard water supply, reduce losses, and improve service delivery. - Infrastructure (Roads, Transport, Waste Management):
Addressing maintenance backlogs, upgrading critical networks, and improving waste collection and public spaces. - Human Settlements and Social Development:
Accelerating housing delivery, upgrading informal settlements, and improving living conditions for vulnerable communities.
Stakeholder Engagement
Following the president’s engagement with city leadership, stakeholders from business, civil society, labor, and academia participated in an afternoon session to voice their concerns and propose solutions. Their inputs highlighted the importance of public-private partnerships in driving Johannesburg’s renewal and ensuring a shared commitment to the city’s future.
A City That Works for All
President Ramaphosa emphasized the significance of Johannesburg to South Africa’s future, stating, “Johannesburg matters to the future of SA. This Working Group is about turning commitment into action and making Joburg a city that works for all its people.”
The initiative also aligns with preparations for the G20 and U20 summits, which aim to leave a lasting legacy for Johannesburg’s residents and visitors alike. By addressing long-standing challenges such as financial sustainability, inner-city renewal, and urban safety, the Working Group seeks to create a more inclusive and prosperous city.
What’s Next?
Over the next two years, the Presidential Johannesburg Working Group will work closely with city officials, stakeholders, and national departments to implement its action plan. The success of this initiative will depend on sustained collaboration, transparency, and accountability.
For Johannesburg’s residents, the Working Group represents a beacon of hope—a chance to transform the city into a thriving, equitable, and sustainable urban center. As the president aptly put it, this is about turning commitment into action and ensuring that Johannesburg truly works for all its people.
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