Anti-capitalists, climate activists, women’s rights advocates, and anti-migration groups plan demonstrations that highlight South Africa’s poverty and inequality.
Police and soldiers staged a parade on Wednesday that displayed helicopters, K-9 units, and motorcycle officers to project strength before the G20 protests.
Security leaders deployed 3,500 additional officers and placed the army on standby under the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure.
Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili informed reporters that authorities expect protests in Johannesburg and other major cities.
She affirmed that officials will protect the right to protest within lawful boundaries.
Police assigned approved gathering zones near the summit venue beside the nation’s largest soccer stadium.
Airports Company South Africa installed “speakers’ corners” in airports and will escort protesting passengers there if demonstrations occur.
Various groups plan further demonstrations to spotlight poverty and inequality in the host nation of the summit.
An Afrikaner trade union ignited public debate by mounting billboards claiming South Africa operates as the world’s most race-regulated country.
City officials removed one billboard, which prompted Solidarity to threaten legal action over the decision.
The billboards reference affirmative action laws that expand opportunities for Black citizens and fuel diplomatic tension between South Africa and the United States.
President Donald Trump refused to attend the summit after claiming the government enforces racist policies against white South Africans.
Observers widely dismissed his accusations as unfounded, yet the boycott risks weakening the first G20 summit held in Africa.
Other organisations intend to use the event to draw global attention to diverse social and economic struggles.
Expanding Protest Movements
Women for Change urges a national shutdown on Friday to oppose severe rates of violence against women and femicide.
The group calls on women to stay away from work to demand safety and accountability.
The organisation argues that South Africa cannot claim progress while it buries a woman every 2.5 hours.
An anti-immigration group plans a march to condemn unemployment and poverty amid a national jobless rate of 31 percent.
A coalition focused on climate justice and wealth inequality arranged a parallel summit to argue that the G20 serves wealthy nations.
Intense Preparation Across Johannesburg
Local authorities launched a large clean-up and repair drive to address damaged infrastructure before the summit.
President Cyril Ramaphosa joined the effort last week and worked in Soweto while wearing green overalls.
Residents view the expensive preparations with scepticism because they face broken streetlights, potholed roads, and unreliable services.
A Johannesburg resident said the summit will not benefit ordinary citizens and will only waste public funds.
The two-day summit begins on Saturday and will draw leaders and senior diplomats from more than 40 nations along with major global institutions.
