By Jacobs Botha,
South Africa has entered the final stretch of preparations for the G20 Leaders’ Summit with Cabinet declaring the country “fully ready” to host one of the most significant global gatherings ever held on its soil. The summit will take place at the Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg from 22 to 23 November.
Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said government was confident after a year of incident-free engagements under South Africa’s G20 Presidency. Since taking over the role in November 2024, the country has convened 130 preparatory meetings across all provinces, an achievement officials say demonstrates both organisational capacity and national cohesion ahead of the Leaders’ Summit.
Ntshavheni said the country’s security structures had finalised comprehensive plans for the summit, which is expected to draw heads of state, ministers, business leaders and global institutions. “All relevant security agencies have completed and are coordinating safety and security plans for the Leaders’ Summit and the Social Summit,” she said. Government will outline these measures in detail during a State of Readiness briefing on Sunday, 16 November. President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to visit the Nasrec precinct on Friday to assess final preparations.
In a significant show of regional support, the African Union has publicly backed South Africa’s G20 presidency, calling it a milestone that affirms the country’s rising influence in global governance. In a strongly worded statement, the AU praised South Africa for championing the priorities of the Global South, advancing sustainable development and advocating for more inclusive international decision-making.
“The Republic of South Africa is a vibrant democracy that upholds equality, human rights and the rule of law,” the AU said, adding that the country’s constitutional values mirror those of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. The continental body urged global partners to engage with South Africa and the wider African region based on “mutual respect, truth and constructive cooperation.”
With just days to go, the upcoming summit is set to test South Africa’s diplomatic, logistical and security capabilities while offering a high-stakes platform to influence global discussions on economic recovery, climate action and the reform of multilateral institutions.
