Johannesburg, Tshwane named U20 hosts, leading local government efforts for G20

702's Bongani Bingwa is joined by Tshwane Mayor Dr Nasiphi Moya.

Listen below:

The Joburg and Tshwane metros are preparing to co-host a series of meetings under the G20 banner.

The two municipalities have been named the official U20 hosts for the year, heading up the local government leg of the G20.

Tshwane Mayor Nasiphi Moya and Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero are expected to use South Africa's G20 presidency to meet with other mayors from key cities in the bloc.

By the end of the year, they plan to put forward policy recommendations to help tackle challenges faced by the country’s administrative capital and the economic hub.

"[It is for] city leaders to come together about the issues, mainly the issues emanating from climate change, the impact it has on citizens and what are the solutions."

- Dr Nasiphi Moya, Executive Mayor - City of Tshwane

The broad themes for U20 to tackle include climate resilience, economic recovery, social equity and digital transformation and innovation.

Moya says as the eighth cycle of the U20, many of the conversations will pick up from previous meetings.

"We then have to have two events in the main one, the Sherpa summit which will be held here in Tshwane in June and then the Mayoral summit where the Mayors from the seven continents in the world will come to Joburg in September."

- Dr Nasiphi Moya, Executive Mayor - City of Tshwane

But are the 'big ideas' up for discussion at U20 not a little lofty given that the two cities are each plagued with a litany of problems from potholes, and an ailing infrastructure, to an ongoing water crisis?

How realistic are the aims of the meetings, asks Bingwa.

"The conversations are about finding solutions, what we need to do is define what those solutions are."

- Dr Nasiphi Moya, Executive Mayor - City of Tshwane

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