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Ramaphosa Applauds Police Visibility in Johannesburg Amid Ongoing Safety Concerns
President Cyril Ramaphosa has commended visible policing efforts in Johannesburg, saying he personally witnessed a greater sense of safety during a late-night visit to the inner city. However, the city continues to face serious crime challenges that stretch beyond isolated patrols.
Despite Johannesburg’s ongoing struggles with crime, service delivery failures, and infrastructure breakdowns, Ramaphosa praised metro and national police for their active presence in the CBD during his surprise visit last month.
Praise at police summit, but broader issues remain
Speaking at the national police summit held at Emperors Palace in Ekurhuleni on Tuesday, Ramaphosa said he was impressed with how the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) was patrolling the city during the night. “I visited Joburg one night and found the metro police patrolling the city most impressively,” he said. “To have safe cities, we need police visibility to deter criminality.”
The summit, under the theme Efficiency in Action: Optimising South Africa’s Policing Potential, aimed to address crime and assess current strategies while promoting innovation in law enforcement.
Presidential criticism of Joburg’s deterioration
Ramaphosa also recently attended a full council meeting in Braamfontein, where he addressed complaints from residents ranging from crime and poor service delivery to water outages, electricity cuts, and the ongoing issue of hijacked buildings.
He voiced concern about Johannesburg’s decline, noting that when he travelled to his hometown of Chiawelo in Soweto, he encountered darkness, potholes, and a city in disrepair. “It was like driving through a dark city. I longed to see streetlights, but there were none,” he said.
Call for intervention and local government accountability
Ramaphosa offered to assist the city in reclaiming its former glory. Johannesburg continues to battle with aging infrastructure, leaking sewage systems, uncollected rubbish, and power interruptions—problems that have worsened in recent months.
Mayor Dada Morero promised to act swiftly and assured the president that the city would be ready to host the upcoming G20 summit later this year.
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