Seerist Event Report
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G20 Leaders’ Summit
Johannesburg
22 - 23 November 2025
Johannesburg G20 Leaders’ Summit location
South Africa Overview
Crime will remain the main security threat facing commercial assets, operations and personnel, though levels vary considerably geographically. Small-scale isolated incidents of social and political unrest are likely to persist. Meanwhile, labour issues trigger frequent demonstrations.
Security Risks
Operational Risks
The operating environment is complex. Port and road infrastructure is generally of a good standard and overall doing business indicators are largely favourable. However, continued fragilities in power supply, mismanagement of port and rail infrastructure and frequent labour activism drive high costs and operational disruption.
Security Risks
Operational Risks
South Africa will host the annual G20 Leaders’ Summit at the Nasrec Johannesburg Expo Centre on 22 to 23 November 2025 in Johannesburg. Heads of state and other senior officials will attend to discuss global economic stability, sustainable development and other pressing issues. Tight security measures will be imposed at the venue and more widely.
Source: Seerist and Control Risks
Seerist Pulse AI Score and Security and Operational Risk Ratings for South Africa
The main threat to visitors comes from petty and opportunistic crime such as pickpocketing and petty robbery in public areas, including shopping centres and restaurants. Foreign business travellers are equally susceptible as local nationals to be identified and targeted by criminal actors, especially if they exhibit signs of wealth. Business travellers are most likely to be affected when transiting between locations, including from the international airport and when walking in public areas.
Crime
Unrest
Johannesburg Security Landscape
City summary Johannesburg is a major regional economic and financial hub with well-developed infrastructure, including an international airport and a reliable public transportation system. However, over the last decade the city has faced rising infrastructure challenges, such as power outages and deteriorating roads. The CBD has become increasingly derelict and characterised by crime, including theft and mugging.
Infrastructure
Recommendations
Nasrec Johannesburg Expo Centre G20 Leaders’ summit location
Demonstrations are common, particularly in low-income settlements. Protesters tend to march to government buildings or company offices. Protests are often tense and prone to escalation of violence. Unless demonstrations, foreign nationals may be vulnerable to indiscriminate violence.
Crime
Unrest
Infrastructure
Recommendations
Road infrastructure is ageing, leading to traffic congestion. Poor road conditions also increase security risks for commuters when slowing down, as it increases the likelihood of a successful carjacking and/or targeted kidnapping. Power outages, both scheduled and unscheduled, are extremely common, driving operational disruption and security risks when lighting is affected.
Crime
Unrest
Infrastructure
Recommendations
Personal safety: Take standard precautions to mitigate the risk of petty and street crime. Travelers should not display expensive items, such as cameras and mobile phones. Protests can cause travel disruption and incidental security threats for travelers caught in the unrest. Avoid large gatherings, and do not stop to watch or photograph protests.
Considerations for specific traveler groups: Female travelers should maintain standard security measures including avoiding travelling alone, and to be alert to the heightened risk of sexual assault.
Crime
Unrest
Infrastructure
Recommendations
Source: Seerist and Control Risks
60-day Stability and Sentiment
Johannesburg
Seerist’s Pulse AI History and Trendline shows the stability score for Johanesburg remained steady over the past 60 days, ranging between 54 and 60 points. According to Seerist’s seven-day Pulse forecast, stability is likely remain between 56 and 60 points.
Seerist’s Events AI Sentiment has mostly recorded positive public sentiment over the past 60 days for events related to the G20 summit.
Seerist’s Events AI Emotions recorded increases in both Joy and Fear over the past 60 days related to the G20 summit, using natural language processing to categorize emotions expressed in textual data.
Source: Seerist and Control Risks
Verified Crime and Unrest Event Trends in Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Most verified security events in 2025 that occurred between O.R. Tambo International Airport and the Nasrec Expo Center took place in the area around Johannesburg Central Business District (CBD). These were mainly unrest events involving protests and blockades targeting the government, often over service delivery grievances such as water and power shortages. Unrest events were mostly carried out by local community groups and labor unions.
Of the Verified Events recorded in the city as a whole since 1 January 2025, 52% were crime-related, with firearms involved in 66% of such cases, with 20% of them robberies. Road blockades were involved in 37% of unrest events. Events were consistent over 2025 at a low to moderate level. We recorded more unrest events in the second half of the year, with brief spikes in late March and mid-June before settling into a persistent, low levels of unrest, suggesting a trend towards stabilization.
Heatmap of Verified Crime and Unrest events in 2025
Verified Crime & Unrest events in 2025
Verified Crime Events by Attack type - 2025
Source: Seerist
Click green buttons to view Verified Events.
Verified Events near the G20 Leaders’ Summit Location
Future Events to Monitor in South Africa
Other demonstrations are likely to take place in the lead up to the G20 Leaders' summit in Johannesburg and are likely to focus on issues regarding service delivery including poor access to water, electricity, and poor road conditions.
Future Events cover one-off or recurring events that could cause operational disruption, heightened security threats or result in significant political decisions. Found on the dedicated country page, all calendar events are given a rating for their potential severity, in addition to assessing impact types such as ‘unrest’ and ‘transportation’.
Nov 8
Nov 21
Nov 22-23
Nov 8
Nov 21
Nov 22-23
Nov 8
Nov 21
Nov 22-23
Future Events
Source: Seerist
Verified Events since 1 January 2025 within a 10km radius of the Nasrec Expo Canter were mostly unrest – predominantly protests related to the government.
Seerist Assets enable users to set a location for an asset and monitor a chosen radius around the asset for any events of interest.
Nasrec Johannesburg Expo Centre G20 Leaders’ summit location
Source: Seerist and Control Risks
Source: Control Risks analysis published on 29 January 2025
Big Picture series: South Africa’s G20 presidency juggles local challenges, weakened multilateralism
Control Risks Analysis
South Africa’s G20 presidency, which it assumed from Brazil on 1 December 2024, will place the international spotlight on the government of national unity (GNU) and test its ability to cooperate on contentious foreign affairs issues. In this note, we assess how South Africa’s priorities for the presidency will interact with domestic and geopolitical challenges, and assess the likelihood of it successfully advancing those priorities.
1/3
South Africa’s G20 priorities In his opening address as G20 president in December 2024, Ramaphosa highlighted climate change, inequality, geopolitical instability and conflicts as the main challenges facing the world. They will be treated as priorities for South Africa’s G20 presidency under the theme of “Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability”. Other goals that South Africa will pursue will include strengthening disaster resilience, promoting debt sustainability, fostering a just energy transition and harnessing critical minerals for inclusive growth. Ramaphosa also announced the establishment of three task forces to address key high-level deliverables on “Inclusive Economic Growth, Industrialisation, Employment and Reduced Inequality”, “Food Security” and “Artificial Intelligence, Data Governance and Innovation for Sustainable Development”.
South Africa’s G20 focus areas are similar to those adopted by Brazil – a fellow Global South and BRICS member – which in 2024 focused on social inclusion, fighting hunger and poverty, advancing the energy transition as well as reforming global governance institutions. South Africa’s G20 presidency will therefore be marked by a significant degree of continuity. Notably, Brazil will host COP30 in November 2025 and will therefore work closely with the G20 presidency to try to advance contentious climate conversations.
2/3
Business outlook Because South Africa is likely to focus on strengthening private sector ties between companies from G20 countries and those from South Africa, companies operating in key sectors such as energy and mining will likely see increased investment opportunities. These opportunities are likely to include the government appealing to G20-incorporated companies to increasingly participate on future projects into South African sectors that remain fragile and require continued investments, principally as renewable energy as well as critical infrastructure including the rail, road and logistics networks.
From a global perspective, the G20 under South Africa’s presidency will unlikely be a game changer for risks facing businesses. Despite South African efforts, the bloc will likely remain unable to successfully address key challenges such as trade and investment protectionism, growing disinformation, climate change and supply-chain vulnerabilities. Businesses will therefore continue to rely on limited support from coordinated government action to navigate an increasingly volatile operational environment.
3/3
Climate change, inclusive economic growth and a just energy transition are likely to take centre stage throughout the G20 presidency led by South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Because South Africa is likely to focus on strengthening private sector ties between companies from G20 countries and those from South Africa, companies operating in key sectors such as energy and mining will likely see increased investment opportunities.
However, the government will struggle to accommodate domestic challenges, notably the contrast in foreign policy ideologies among GNU partners.
Meanwhile, the ongoing weakening of multilateralism will intensify. This will further undermine the ability for the G20 to produce meaningful agreements in 2025.
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