Democratic Alliance (DA) Federal Chairperson Helen Zille has vowed to take President Cyril Ramaphosa to court over the national government’s intervention in Johannesburg’s infrastructure improvements ahead of the upcoming G20 Summit.
Zille argues that the government has no right to allocate national resources to fix the city, calling it an opportunistic move designed to boost the African National Congress (ANC)’s image before an international audience.
In a statement on Monday, Zille confirmed that the DA had instructed its legal team to assess whether Ramaphosa’s decision to deploy national government resources to Johannesburg is lawful.
“It is wrong for President Ramaphosa to deploy government to fix Johannesburg just because the G20 Summit is coming,” Zille stated. “We have tasked DA lawyers to look into this issue to determine whether it is legal or not.”
She insists that Johannesburg’s governance issues should be resolved through democratic processes rather than last-minute national government interventions. “Johannesburg should not be fixed by government. The only way we want to see it fixed is when the ANC is voted out, and the DA takes over,” she added.
🔴 WE’LL TAKE RAMAPHOSA TO COURT FOR FIXING JHB , ZILLE🔴
It is wrong for Pres Ramaphosa to deploy the government to fix Johannesburg in preparation of the G20 Summit there.
We have tasked DA lawyers to look into this issue, whether it is lawful or not.
Johannesburg should… pic.twitter.com/kj4U65ABHr
— Constitution First 🇿🇦 (@Constitution_94) March 18, 2025
The ANC has dismissed the DA’s objections, arguing that Johannesburg, as South Africa’s economic hub, must be in top condition when world leaders arrive for the summit.
An ANC official, speaking anonymously to News24, described the intervention as a necessary measure. “We cannot allow Johannesburg’s current state to embarrass South Africa on the global stage,” the official said. “The city is in crisis, and the national government has a responsibility to step in where necessary.”
This legal challenge could set a precedent regarding the extent of national government’s role in municipal governance. If the DA proceeds with court action, judges will have to decide whether Ramaphosa’s intervention is an unconstitutional overreach or a justified action in the national interest.
With Johannesburg preparing to host the prestigious G20 Summit, the battle over who should take credit for its improvement is intensifying. Whether the courts will step in remains to be seen.
