Joburg's G20 blind spot

Here is a blind spot amid Johannesburg's preparations for November's G20 Summit, undermining attempts to spruce up parts of the city which may be traversed by world leaders.

- Martin Williams

Nothing constructive is happening at one of the gateways to Africa's richest square mile. At the intersection of two iconic roads - Sandton Drive and Winnie Mandela Drive - lies George Lea Park South, an unkempt hot-spot for repeated bylaw violations which go unpunished.

The most visible infringement is the illegal dumping of builders' rubble.

Failure to curb this is symptomatic of the malaise crippling Joburg. Responsibility oozes away like the raw sewage which spills weekly, but not weakly, from old pipes perpetually clogged with fibre - not the dietary kind.

Data fibre cables cause sewer blockages, with the permission of Joburg Water.