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The Gauteng Provincial Government, in collaboration with the Secretariat of the World’s Major Metropolises, hosted a seminar on the role of subnational government in the global governance arena on Wednesday, 10 September 2025.
The Seminar is a continuation of the initial discussions held by the Gauteng delegation on the margins of the 4th International Conference on Financing Sustainable Development Goals, which took place from June 30, 2025, to July 3, 2025, in Seville, Spain.
Speaking at the seminar, City of Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero said
“Our lived reality tells us one thing: urban governance is central to global stability and prosperity. What happens in cities will determine whether the world achieves sustainable development goals. Whether we meet the climate transition, and whether residents feel the presence of democracy in their daily lives”.
Gauteng Province is a signatory to the World Association of Major Metropolises (WAM) and currently serves as a Regional Secretariat for Africa. Furthermore, most of the Metropolitan Municipalities in Gauteng are signatories to various global urban governance organisations, including United Cities of Local Government, the United Nations-Habitat, African Mayors’ Assembly, among others.
Premier Panyaza Lesufi, who spoke in his capacity as World Association of Major Metropolises Regional Secretariat for Africa, said: “There is an urgent and immediate call for this sphere of government to improve delivery on services, boost economic competitiveness, strengthen fiscal management, and enhance resilience to crises”.
Alongside this renewed call, the seminar also raised broader issues that often fall under the responsibility of national governments, from cross- border public health and migration to climate change, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), global geopolitical tensions, and the impact of macroeconomic shocks.
The session put the spotlight on improving service delivery, managing public finances responsibly, and strengthening accountability in local government. It also underscored the mounting pressures communities face, the financial challenges limiting municipalities, and the urgent call for fresh policy discussions that bring in the voices of all stakeholders.
The seminar reaffirmed the commitment to developing a clear roadmap for integrating climate resilience and disaster management into urban planning, while also strengthening partnerships between South Africa’s subnational governments, peer regions across the continent, and global urban networks.
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