The G20 Leaders’ Summit has officially begun in Johannesburg, marking a historic moment as the event is hosted on African soil for the first time. Heads of State, senior government leaders and representatives from international organisations are gathering at the Nasrec Expo Centre from Saturday through Sunday.
Delegations from countries such as the United Kingdom, Brazil, Namibia, China and Malaysia have already arrived for the opening day. Deputy government spokesperson William Baloyi explained how the arrival schedule was organised, noting: “We started with international organisations like the United Nations. After that, we received the invited countries – heads of state and leaders of government of the countries that we have invited. After that, President Ramaphosa will then receive the G20 members. They have been synchronised to arrive from Sandton to Nasrec.”
Baloyi confirmed that preparations have gone smoothly, adding: “We are hosting the whole world here and the preparations thus far have gone so well. When you host the world, it’s not easy. Our infrastructure – our ports of entry – is excellent. [Dignitaries] have arrived and we were able to take them to our beautiful facilities in the hospitality industry.”
He encouraged South Africans to continue extending their well-known hospitality to international guests. Reflecting on the build-up to the event, he said: “We want to thank South Africans for the 130 meetings that were held [preceding the Leaders’ Summit]. South Africans attended, South Africans made inputs and made sure that they go well.”
Baloyi acknowledged the temporary disruptions caused by the event, noting that road closures and traffic adjustments are unavoidable for gatherings of this scale but praised the public for their cooperation. “Events of this magnitude inconvenience people. How they use the roads and even now we’ve closed some of the roads. However, the patience and understanding of South Africans has made sure that the people are able to feel welcome.
“South African road users, we’ve appealed to them…and they have nicely made sure that they play their part. This is part of what makes us South Africans part of a great nation,” he concluded.
Additional reporting from SA News.
