Political events and meetings such the G20 Summit is expected to see a massive influx of visitors to South Africa next year.
South Africa takes over the G20 presidency next month, which brings with it a large number of events and meetings throughout the year. The main event, the G20 Leaders’ Summit will be held in Johannesburg in November 2025, the first time it has been held in Africa.
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation said in response to a parliamentary question in September, that the proposed budget for all the events for which it was responsible (including the G20 Sherpa Track meetings, foreign ministers’ meetings and the Leaders’ Summit) amounted to approximately R497 million.
Of this, R194 million has been set aside for the Leaders’ Summit, with R103 million budgeted for venues, facilities, interpreters and catering, R32 million for accommodation, and R24 million for ground transport. At the time, the budget was yet to be approved by the Treasury.
The Western Cape will host the G20 Finance Track over the course of the year, and Deputy Director General for the Department of Economic Development and Tourism in the Province, Rashid Toefy, said he had been designated the provincial lead for managing events that will take place in Cape Town, George, and at various wine farms.
These events kick off with a massive event in February for all the Reserve Bank Governors and Finance Ministers of G20 countries, along with other invitees.
“So at the same time as we have our busiest season in the city, we’ll be having this influx of visitors,” said Toefy. Other events are also scheduled to take place in April and in the June/ July period.
Western Cape Minister of Economic Development, Tourism and Agriculture, Ivan Meyer, said the G20 was “one of the biggest events we’ve ever had politically”.
India, which hosted an “unprecedented” G20 in 2023, welcomed over 100 000 in-person participants from 135 countries at 200 meetings and engagements throughout the year.
Meyer said the Western Cape would also host another political event, the Regional Leaders Summit, which would bring together leaders from the Western Cape, Quebec, Bavaria, Georgia (US), São Paulo, Shandong Province (China) and Upper Austria.
He said a global investment conference was also being planned for the province.
