Revitalising the Johannesburg CBD and fighting crime ahead of the G20 Leaders Summit
Thabo Motlhabi
The Gauteng Provincial Government, in partnership with all its municipalities across the province, recently launched an integrated service delivery initiative on November 7, 2025. The ongoing programme was first rolled out in the Johannesburg CBD through a major cleaning campaign and a series of other service delivery interventions.
The integrated approach aims to revitalise the city’s urban open spaces as part of addressing the 13 key service delivery challenges facing the province. These include cleaning inner-city streets, repairing streetlights, dealing with dilapidated old buildings, improving water and electricity supply, managing rapid urbanisation, and strengthening crime-fighting efforts.
A major focus of the initiative is to combat crime and violence – particularly violence against women and children. This is being done in partnership with community leaders, residents, law-enforcement agencies, and private organisations. This operation also emphasised enforcing municipal bylaws and increasing the visibility of patrollers across high-risk areas.
During recent crime-fighting operations, several arrests were made across Gauteng for offences including drinking and driving under the influence of alcohol, reckless and negligent driving, and other violations. With the festive season approaching, authorities note that such operations are critical, as many motorists tend to disregard road safety laws during this period.
As Gauteng for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs and Infrastructure and Development NEC, Mr Jacob Mamabolo commended the strengthened interventions:
“We appreciate the increased effort by our municipalities to fight the scourge of crime which threatens the stability of our province. We have seen a much-improved impact of the law enforcement operations as we work as one integrated Gauteng in fighting crime.
These operations supported the province’s broader goals of maintaining safety and stability ahead of the upcoming G20 Leaders Summit, which will be hosted in Johannesburg on 22-23 November 2025. A safer and more functional province is expected to attract investments, stimulate economic growth, reduce high unemployment and create jobs. High visibility of patrollers will continue to work alongside various stakeholders, including visiting schools, where youth-related crime often occurs, and GVB organisations to raise awareness and assure communities that law-enforcement services are available 24/7.
The integrated initiative remains an ongoing programme aimed at tackling 13 major challenges facing the Gauteng Province and ensuring safer, cleaner, and more resilient societies.