Anti-capitalists, climate advocates, women’s rights campaigners, and anti-migrant groups plan protests highlighting South Africa’s poverty and inequality.
Police and army paraded helicopters, K-9 units, and motorcycle officers on Wednesday to show strength before the G20 summit.
Authorities deployed 3,500 extra police officers and placed the army on standby under the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure.
Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili told reporters that officials expect protests in Johannesburg and other major cities.
She said the government will allow protests but enforce legal boundaries.
Police marked designated areas near the summit venue, beside South Africa’s largest soccer stadium, for protesters to assemble.
Airports Company South Africa set up “speakers’ corners” in airports, where security will escort demonstrators during world leaders’ arrivals.
Activist groups plan to raise issues including inequality, poverty, and climate change at the summit.
An Afrikaner trade union stirred controversy by posting billboards claiming South Africa is “the most RACE-REGULATED country in the world.”
City authorities removed one billboard, and Solidarity threatened legal action in response.
The billboards reference affirmative action laws advancing opportunities for Black South Africans and have sparked diplomatic tensions with the United States.
President Donald Trump will boycott the G20, claiming the government persecutes Afrikaners and enforces anti-white policies.
Observers widely reject Trump’s claims, but the boycott threatens the first African G20 summit.
Women for Change called a national work boycott on Friday to protest South Africa’s high rates of violence against women and femicide.
The organisation stated that South Africa cannot discuss progress while women die every 2.5 hours.
An anti-immigration group will protest unemployment and poverty, citing South Africa’s 31% jobless rate.
Climate and wealth inequality activists will hold an alternative summit in Johannesburg starting Thursday, calling the G20 “a summit for the wealthy.”
City Prepares for Global Attention
Johannesburg authorities launched a large cleanup and repair operation before the summit to address failing infrastructure.
President Cyril Ramaphosa joined the effort last week, working in Soweto near the summit venue.
Residents remain skeptical of the multi-million-dollar effort, citing years of broken streetlights, potholed roads, and unreliable utilities.
Johannesburg resident Lerato Lelusa criticized the summit, saying it benefits politicians more than ordinary citizens.
Leaders Gather for the G20 Summit
The two-day summit begins Saturday and will host leaders and top diplomats from over 40 countries.
Global institutions, including the United Nations, World Bank, IMF, and WTO, will also participate in the meetings.
Authorities expect protests and alternative demonstrations across Johannesburg throughout the summit period.
