Johannesburg

== Law and government ==
=== Government ===
{{Main|City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality}}
[[File:Johannesburg 2006 regions with legend.PNG|thumb|The seven regions of the city]]

Upon the creation of the Metropolitan Municipality in 2000 the city was subdivided into eleven regions, simply named Region 1 to Region 11. These were reorganised in 2006 into the current seven regions named alphabetically Region A to Region G, as shown on the nearby map.<ref>{{Cite web |author=Abraham, Anish |date=11 May 2006 |title=Jozi plans major restructuring |publisher=City of Johannesburg |url=http://www.joburg.org.za/2006/may/may11_structure.stm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060627140019/http://www.joburg.org.za/2006/may/may11_structure.stm |archive-date=27 June 2006 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

{{As of|2006}} the seven regions are:
*''Region A'': Diepsloot, Kya Sand;
*''Region B'': Randburg, Rosebank, Emmarentia, Greenside, Melville, Northcliff, Rosebank, Parktown, Parktown North;
*''Region C'': Roodepoort, Constantia Kloof, Northgate;
*''Region D'': Doornkop, Soweto, Dobsonville, Protea Glen;
*''Region E'': Alexandra, Wynberg, Sandton;
*''Region F'': Inner City;
*''Region G'': Orange Farm, Ennerdale, Lenasia.

In the 2016 municipal elections, the ruling party, the ANC, lost their majority in Johannesburg for the first time since taking power in 1994, claiming only 44.12% of the vote. The Economic Freedom Fighters and Democratic Alliance both agreed to vote for the DA mayoral candidate, [[Herman Mashaba]], who was sworn into power as the first Democratic Alliance mayor of Johannesburg on 22 August 2016.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ewn.co.za/2016/08/22/Victory-for-DA-as-Herman-Mashaba-is-elected-Mayor-of-Johannesburg |title=Victory for DA as Herman Mashaba is elected Mayor of Johannesburg |first=Clement |last=Manyathela |website=ewn.co.za |access-date=15 January 2017 |archive-date=24 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224015436/https://ewn.co.za/2016/08/22/Victory-for-DA-as-Herman-Mashaba-is-elected-Mayor-of-Johannesburg |url-status=live }}</ref> The ANC returned to the city's executive on 4 December 2019 following the election of its regional chair, [[Geoff Makhubo]], to the mayoralty.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Deklerk |first1=Aphiwe |title=ANC's Geoff Makhubo is the new Joburg mayor |url=https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2019-12-04-ancs-geoff-makhubo-is-the-new-joburg-mayor/ |access-date=4 December 2019 |agency=TimesLIVE |date=4 December 2019 |archive-date=4 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191204204352/https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2019-12-04-ancs-geoff-makhubo-is-the-new-joburg-mayor/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Makhubo died on 9 July 2021 and [[Eunice Mgcina]] was appointed acting mayor.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/eunice-mgcina-is-acting-mayor-of-joburg-f762bc6e-dc76-4c5f-8d6e-4e44ae858d6f |title=Eunice Mgcina is acting mayor of Joburg |work=iol.co.za |last=Nkosi |first=Ntombi |date=9 July 2021 |access-date=20 July 2021 |archive-date=11 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210711192839/https://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/eunice-mgcina-is-acting-mayor-of-joburg-f762bc6e-dc76-4c5f-8d6e-4e44ae858d6f |url-status=live }}</ref> A new mayor, Jolidee Matongo, was elected unopposed on 10 August 2021.<ref>{{Cite web |author=Nonkululeko Njilo |title=Jolidee Matongo becomes new mayor of Joburg unopposed |url=https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/south-africa/2021-08-10-jolidee-matongo-becomes-new-mayor-of-joburg-unopposed2/ |access-date=2021-08-10 |website=SowetanLIVE |language=en-ZA |archive-date=10 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210810144558/https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/south-africa/2021-08-10-jolidee-matongo-becomes-new-mayor-of-joburg-unopposed2/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Matongo died in a car accident in September 2021 and [[Mpho Moerane]] was elected to succeed him.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Zulu |first=Sifiso |title=Mpho Moerane is officially Joburg's new mayor |url=https://ewn.co.za/2021/10/01/mpho-moerane-is-officially-joburg-s-new-mayor |access-date=2021-10-01 |website=ewn.co.za |language=en |archive-date=15 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220715162707/https://ewn.co.za/2021/10/01/mpho-moerane-is-officially-joburg-s-new-mayor |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Crime ===
[[File:South african police may 2010.jpg|thumb|Officers of the [[South African Police Service]] with [[R4 assault rifle|Vektor R5]] rifles on parade in Johannesburg, 2010]]
[[File:Soweto township.jpg|thumb|A [[shanty town]] in [[Soweto]] [[Township (South Africa)|township]]]]
After the [[Group Areas Act]] was scrapped in 1991, Johannesburg was affected by [[urban blight]]. Thousands of poor black people, who had been forbidden to live in the city proper, moved into the city from surrounding black townships like [[Soweto]] and many immigrants from economically beleaguered and war torn African nations flooded into South Africa. Many buildings were abandoned by [[landlord]]s, especially in high-density areas, such as [[Hillbrow]]. Many corporations and institutions, including the [[JSE Securities Exchange|stock exchange]], moved their headquarters away from the city centre, to suburbs like [[Sandton]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Johannesburg Stock Exchange History - Property24.com |url=http://www.property24.com/articles/johannesburg-stock-exchange-history/16977 |website=www.property24.com |access-date=18 February 2016 |archive-date=24 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224180746/https://www.property24.com/articles/johannesburg-stock-exchange-history/16977 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Reviving the city centre is one of the main aims of the municipal government of Johannesburg. Drastic measures have been taken to reduce crime in the city. These measures include [[closed-circuit television]] on street corners. As of 11 December 2008, every street corner in Johannesburg central is under high-tech [[Closed-circuit television|CCTV]] surveillance.<ref name="iol.co.za">{{cite news |url=https://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/joburg-surveillance-zooms-in-428633 |work=IOL News |title=Joburg Surveillance Zooms In |date=11 December 2008 |last=Gifford |first=Gill |access-date=9 July 2018 |archive-date=7 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210307215528/https://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/joburg-surveillance-zooms-in-428633 |url-status=live }}</ref> The CCTV system, operated by the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD), is also able to detect stolen or hijacked vehicles by scanning the number plates of every vehicle travelling through the central business district (CBD), then comparing them to the eNaTIS database. The JMPD claims that the average response time by police for crimes committed in the CBD is 60 seconds.<ref name="iol.co.za"/>

Crime levels in Johannesburg have dropped as the economy has stabilised and begun to grow.<ref>[http://mg.co.za/article/2006-07-07-drop-in-serious-crime-joburg Drop in serious crime in Jo'burg] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180710071256/http://mg.co.za/article/2006-07-07-drop-in-serious-crime-joburg |date=10 July 2018 }}, ''Mail & Guardian Online'', 7 July 2006.</ref> Between 2001 and 2006, R9-billion (US$1.2&nbsp;billion) has been invested in the city centre. Further investment of around R10-billion (US$1.5&nbsp;billion) is expected in the city centre alone by 2010. This excludes development directly associated with the 2010 FIFA World Cup.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/joburg039s-residential-projects-are-supporting-an-acceleration-of-the-rejuvenation-effort-2007-05-25 |publisher=engineeringnews.co.za |title=Joburg's residential projects are supporting an acceleration of the rejuvenation effort |date=25 May 2007 |last=van der Merwe |first=Christy |access-date=9 July 2018 |archive-date=10 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180710040725/http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/joburg039s-residential-projects-are-supporting-an-acceleration-of-the-rejuvenation-effort-2007-05-25 |url-status=live }}</ref> In an effort to prepare Johannesburg for the [[2010 FIFA World Cup]], local government enlisted the help of [[Rudy Giuliani]], former [[Mayor of New York City]], to help bring down the crime rate, as the opening and closing matches of the tournament were played in the city.<ref>{{cite press release |date=6 August 2006 |url=http://www.24-7pressrelease.com/view_press_release.php?rID=16863 |title=City of Johannesburg is calling for Internal Branding Advice from Global Gurus |url-status=dead |access-date=10 September 2006 |archive-date=15 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130915003232/http://www.24-7pressrelease.com/view_press_release.php?rID=16863}}</ref>

[[Murders]] in the Johannesburg municipality amounted to 1,697 in 2007 according to the South African Medical Research Council, a rate of 43 per 100,000 inhabitants.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.mrc.ac.za/crime/nimmsreport2007.pdf |title=A profile of fatal injuries in South Africa |access-date=22 October 2009 |page=49 |publisher=South African Medical Research Council |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726194935/http://www.mrc.ac.za/crime/nimmsreport2007.pdf |archive-date=26 July 2011}}</ref> In 2016 that number had sharply declined to 29.4 per 100,000 inhabitants, placing the murder rate at more than half of that of [[Cape Town]] and even below the national average.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://businesstech.co.za/news/lifestyle/230123/cape-town-is-one-of-the-most-violent-cities-in-the-world/ |title=Cape Town is one of the most violent cities in the world |publisher=businesstech.co.za |access-date=19 November 2020 |archive-date=1 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201212215/https://businesstech.co.za/news/lifestyle/230123/cape-town-is-one-of-the-most-violent-cities-in-the-world/ |url-status=live }}</ref>