NATIONAL NEWS -  With South Africa in the final stretch towards hosting the first-ever Group of Twenty (G20) Leaders’ Summit on African soil, the country should be proud of the road it has traversed since assuming the chairmanship of the group in December 2024.

“I think that it’s a very historic hosting [of] our Chairmanship of the G20. We should be proud of ourselves for the manner in which we are welcoming the world and showcasing our country,” Deputy Chairperson of the National Planning Commission (NPC), Professor Tinyiko Maluleke, said in an interview with SAnews.

The NPC is an independent advisory body and think tank appointed by the President of the country. The Commission is also the custodian of South Africa’s National Development Plan (NDP): Vision 2030.

“More importantly, [we should be proud] of the manner in which we have attempted not merely to build partnerships for partnership’s sake, but we have reached out to the rest of the world in search of common challenges and themes for our future. We have taken leadership of that admirably,” Maluleke said.

In addition to South Africa, the G20 comprises countries such as the United States (US), United Kingdom, France and Germany, with G20 members collectively representing 85% of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The formation has become the premier forum for international economic cooperation.

As the last nation of the Global South to hold the Presidency in this cycle, having taken over the baton from Brazil which held the Presidency of the G20 in 2024, South Africa has held 130 of the 133 meetings of the Presidency. 

In this final week leading up to the Summit on 22 and 23 November 2025, the fourth Sherpa Meeting, the Social Summit and the Summit itself, will ring up the last of the meetings held by South Africa.

With the final hours inching closer to the weekend Summit, the country is completing the Sherpa Meeting, and the three-day Social Summit has been opened by Deputy President Paul Mashatile. 

The public has also been kept in the loop about road closures in and around the vicinity of the Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg where the Leaders’ Summit will be held.

Safety is a top priority for South Africa with the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) having expressed confidence in the safety and security preparations for the gathering. The intelligence structure has policed 20 G20 ministerial working group meetings and Sherpa meetings across various parts of the country “that all were considered and classified to be incident-free events.”

This week, NATJOINTS expressed confidence in the safety and security preparations for the Leaders’ Summit.

In addition, it confirmed that while a soft lockdown is currently in place around the venue, a hard lockdown will be implemented from Friday, 21 November to Monday, 24 November in the vicinity of the FNB stadium which is housing the accreditation centre as well as the Nasrec Expo Conference centre that will host dignitaries and delegates. 

According to the NATJOINTS, the implementation of the hard lockdown “simply means that if you are not in possession of a valid accreditation to be in and around the Nasrec Expo centre - you will not be allowed near this vicinity. All vehicles in this vicinity will be inspected thoroughly before being allowed to enter either premises.”

In a joint statement, the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), Gauteng Traffic Police (GTP) and the South African Police Service (SAPS) among other law enforcement agencies, said road closures will affect the City of Johannesburg, City of Tshwane and City of Ekurhuleni.

Cabinet has also expressed its full confidence in South Africa’s ability to host a successful Summit, adding that the preparatory meetings since South Africa assumed the Presidency of the formation on 1 December 2025, had been “incident-free.”

Representation in a challenging world

Professor Maluleke recalled his positive experience when he attended one of the G20 meetings held at Sun City in the North West, that centred on the empowerment of women.

“I was privileged to say a few words at that event. For me it was just remarkable how many countries were represented and how we as South Africans were not only the hosts, but we were at the centre of that and it’s not just about us but the whole African continent [as well].  I think it’s a largely positive experience that we have had,” he said.

He also pointed out that the G20 meetings were being held at a time of an “ongoing geopolitical situation in the world” which includes the war in Ukraine and the conflict in Gaza.

“So, the G20 met in the shadow of all of this and the trade war. But I think the G20 is the silver lining in the dark clouds,” he said.

And while the country prepares to put its best foot forward to receive the world as it hosts the Summit, President Cyril Ramaphosa confirmed that the G20 Leaders’ Summit will proceed as planned, despite the absence of representation from the US government.

In total, 42 countries are confirmed for participation at various levels. This includes 20 member States of the G20, excluding the United States; 16 guest countries and six countries representing Regional Economic Communities in Africa, the Caribbean and East Asia.

The President emphasised that despite the boycott, the USA remains an “important market” for South Africa.

Wish list

Asked about what he would like the outcomes of the Leaders’ Summit to be, Maluleke said his wish list includes a new sense of multilateralism around the world.

“For me, it is to have members of the G20 who are more conscious of the need for partnership between countries and between peoples if the problems of the world are to be resolved. A new sense of multilateralism is needed and I say new, because until now we have been working with a model that comes from the Second World War largely.

“But it seems to me that we need a model that takes account of different types of war like the war against women, [actually] the silent war against women; the war that is taking place around AI [artificial intelligence] and 4IR across the world and so on.”

He called for a renewed focus for climate justice and the reduction of emissions.

“We need to find a new kind of multilateralism but above all, we need a renewed focus in the world for climate justice and for positive climate action. The environmental justice. Environmental sustainability is the carpet that could be pulled from below the feet of all countries in the world if we do not join forces and ensure that we reduce emissions; move towards a green economy, and we move towards low carbon economies, together.

“That is not something expected of one or two or three big countries, but all of the countries. Those are for me, some of the most important issues,” said the Deputy Chairperson.

Maluleke’s comments come as the 30th United Nations Climate Conference (COP30) is being held in Belém, Brazil. Taking place from 10 to 21 November 2025, the conference brings together leaders from governments, businesses, and civil society to tackle the defining challenge of this era, from 10 to 21 November.

This as the South African government pushes forward the implementation of securing the US$1.3 trillion in climate finance pledged to developing countries last year.

South Africa’s Presidency of the G20 will come to an end on 30 November 2025, with the US due to hold the Presidency of the grouping in 2026.

And while the road towards the Summit has been long, South Africa and her people who are known for their Ubuntu, can pat themselves on the back for having come this far. -SAnews.gov.za 

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