In less than two weeks, Johannesburg will host global leaders for the G20 Summit, marking a major diplomatic milestone for South Africa. Yet, just a few kilometres from the state-of-the-art venue, the city centre tells a different story one of urban decay, lawlessness, and deep-rooted housing crises.
Authorities are racing against time to clean up more than 100 derelict buildings scattered across the inner city. Many of these structures have been overrun by criminal gangs, while others stand filled with piles of garbage, open sewage, and fire hazards. Residents say life in these hijacked buildings is dangerous, plagued by drugs, violence, and neglect.
Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero has pledged that the city will be ready to host the summit, while President Cyril Ramaphosa earlier condemned the dire state of the downtown area, calling it “a painful sight.” Despite cleanup campaigns, the problems remain overwhelming.
Tragedy has already struck before — a fire in one such building killed 76 people, exposing the human cost of neglect. Yet conditions have hardly improved. In properties like Vannin Court, residents live without running water or electricity, relying on gas stoves and solar lamps while sewage floods basements. The lack of utilities and safety equipment makes fires a constant threat.
The decay has deep historical roots. Since the end of apartheid in 1994, thousands of people have moved into Johannesburg’s city centre seeking better opportunities. With limited affordable housing and landlords abandoning properties, many buildings have fallen into disrepair or been taken over by syndicates.
Former hijackers describe how gangs seize buildings under the guise of offering rental spaces but instead use them as bases for drug production and trafficking. One ex-hijacker revealed that many of these properties are used to manufacture “nyaope,” a lethal street drug that has devastated communities across South Africa.
As the countdown to the G20 continues, Johannesburg’s leaders face mounting pressure to balance the image of a world-class host city with the grim reality of life in its forgotten heart. The world will be watching not only the summit itself but also how South Africa addresses the inequality and lawlessness festering in its economic capital.
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