Public safety agencies, from metropolitan police departments to emergency medical teams, leaned on Hytera‑built TETRA and broadband radios already embedded in their day‑to‑day operations. These systems ensured uninterrupted voice and data communication across transport hubs, protest‑risk areas, and crowded public spaces where response times shrink during large events.

Security analyst Thabo Makwakwa noted that the G20’s scale placed unprecedented pressure on frontline agencies, forcing them to balance routine duties with summit‑related demands. He added that the reliability of their communication systems allowed them to operate without the added risk of technical failures.

A Section Commander within NatJoints’ Operational and Support division, who requested anonymity for security reasons, said, “The G20 placed extraordinary demands on our frontline units. Every second counted, and seamless communication was the difference between order and disruption. Our teams had to manage routine policing while absorbing the summit’s unique pressures, and the reliability of the radio networks gave us confidence that coordination would not falter.”

“Global events of this magnitude expose every weakness in frontline operations,” said Mark Zheng, Managing Director of Hytera Southern Africa. “When seconds matter, dependable communication is not a luxury – it is the backbone of coordination and public safety. We are proud that our technologies helped South African agencies deliver under global scrutiny.”

Hytera has maintained a presence in South Africa for more than 15 years. Its radios are used daily by municipal law enforcement, EMS crews, and specialised conservation and anti‑poaching units. That widespread adoption has made Hytera’s systems part of the country’s everyday safety fabric – a fact underscored during the G20, where even routine operations came under unusual strain.

Globally, Hytera Communications Corporation Limited has built a reputation over three decades as a leading provider of critical communications technologies. Its portfolio spans two‑way radios, PMR & LTE convergent solutions, fast‑deploy communications, body‑worn cameras, and control room systems. The company supports users in more than 120 countries, including the defence, policing, and emergency services sectors.

While the summit passed without major incident, experts argue that it served as a practical stress test for South Africa’s emergency communication network. The ability of frontline teams to sustain operations through trusted radio platforms demonstrates, resilience of existing networks under extraordinary demand, the integration of commercial technologies into national security frameworks, and the quiet but essential role of communications in enabling broader defence and security objectives.

As South Africa reflects on the logistical and operational lessons of hosting world leaders, emergency communication, often overlooked, rarely celebrated, has emerged as one of the quiet essentials that ensured the summit unfolded smoothly.

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“As the NATJOINTS, we have been meeting daily with all relevant role-players to ensure our security plan is well-executed,” NATJOINTS Chairperson Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili said on Tuesday.

South Africa will host the Leaders’ Summit on 22 and 23 November 2025 after having assumed the G20 Presidency in December 2024.

“We are therefore confident in saying that the safety and security preparations for the Summit are well on track, with all critical role players already on the ground executing their various responsibilities as per their mandate,” she said.

This as a five-pillar approach has been taken for the summit that will be hosted on African soil for the first time.

The five-pillar approach speaks to:
• Intelligence gathering, analysis and co-ordination; to ensure police detect, prevent and combat all forms of criminality timeously.
• A proactive approach which includes high visibility to police all hotspot areas to prevent, and respond to any element of criminality.
• The implementation of the Combat approach in response to any violation of the law through the deployment of uniformed officers including specialised units. Should the need arise, the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) is also on standby to exercise their secondary role of supporting the South African Police Service (SAPS).
• Reactive approach through detection and case management.
• Awareness and information sharing led by the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS), and Communication teams from the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) and the SAPS, keeping interested parties and communities at home and abroad updated through messaging that will enhance the safety and security of everyone in the country – residents and visitors alike.

Addressing the media at the Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg on the state of security readiness for the Summit, Mosikili urged the public to take note of the identified road closures and cooperate with law enforcement authorities. She added that roads will be closed off completely and movement from pedestrians, cyclists and motorists will be limited when convoys pass through.

“Roads will be opened as soon as the convoys move past the affected routes,” she said.

This as the Road Traffic Management Corporation as well as the Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni Metro Police Departments have already appraised communities of the affected road closures and possible traffic delays. The specific routes that are already affected include parts of the N1, N12, R21, N3, R24 and the M1.

She warned that lawlessness will not be tolerated and those found on the wrong side of the law will face the might of the law.

“We would like to remind members of the public that the safety of our visitors and that of South Africans as a whole, is paramount and anyone who tries and even attempts to test our security measures – will face the full might of the law.”

With regards to groups planning to protest within the Nasrec vicinity, Mosikili urged them to do so within the confines of the law.

“Failure to do so, could land you on the wrong side of the law and we shall also not hesitate to act decisively with any acts of lawlessness. Designated speakers’ corners around the vicinity of Nasrec have been identified for this purpose.

“We will therefore not allow any disruptions, lawlessness and no damaging and defacing of G20 infrastructure including posters. It is on that note, that we request everyone within the borders of South Africa to cooperate with law enforcement officers at all times, to enable us to deliver a successful event.”

Boots on the ground

With the maximum resources in place, law enforcement is prepared and ready to police the event with fit for purpose members.

“Together with various law enforcement agencies including the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) and the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD), we are executing and implementing the security plan accordingly, with more boots on the ground,” she said.

Accreditation

With regard to the access to the venue, Lt Gen Mosikili said only those in possession of valid accreditation will be allowed near the venue and restricted areas.

“Therefore, those who are still without accreditation which includes officials and members of the media are advised to obtain a non-transferable accreditation,” she said.

She warned that those found with fraudulent accreditation or using another person’s accreditation, will face the full might of the law.

“No accreditation card, no entrance to the venue,” she said.

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