Let's hope the sprucing up of Joburg is not a G20 mirage

Johannesburg is being spruced up, putting its best foot forward, much to the delight of its residents, and we suspect, anyone who cherishes a working, vibrant city.

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The executive mayor of the City of Joburg, Dada Morero, has, over the past few weeks, turned himself into a foot soldier for the war against grime and crime.

Large swathes of central Johannesburg now look unbelievably clean and inviting. Gone is the lawlessness and the filth that had reduced a once-proud, yet oppressed city, into an eyesore.

Rot had set in the heart of Joburg, and with that came the flight of capital out of the inner city to wealthier parts of the city, as the poor moved in.

The thing about Johannesburg is that it has always been the place to go for those chasing dreams - no matter how grand, or solely aimed at survival. It has always carried the promise of a better life.

Even those who regard themselves as born and bred Joburgers were born of the people who settled or worked in the city to chase dreams.