Ramaphosa Responds to Trump’s Remarks on G20 Participation
South Africa responds to U.S president’s G20 tweet. (The Presidency)
By Mathipa Phishego
President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed deep regret over recent comments made by former United States President Donald Trump, regarding South Africa’s role in the G20 and its participation in future summits.
In a strongly worded statement, the Presidency reaffirmed South Africa’s commitment to multilateralism and its standing as a founding member of the G20. The statement highlighted that the G20 South Africa 2025 Leaders’ Summit, held in Johannesburg and attended by numerous Heads of State and Government, was widely regarded as one of the most successful summits in the forum’s history. The summit produced a declaration underscoring the strength and value of global cooperation in addressing pressing challenges.
U.S president’s tweet
Trump, in a social media post, accused the South African government of failing to address alleged human rights abuses against Afrikaners and descendants of European settlers, claiming that they are killing white people and randomly allowing their farms to be taken. He further stated that South Africa refused to hand over the G20 Presidency to a senior U.S. representative, leading to his directive that South Africa will not be invited to the 2026 G20 Summit in Miami, Florida.
The South African government dismissed these allegations as “misinformation and distortions,” emphasizing that the handover of G20 instruments was conducted in accordance with protocol, with a U.S. Embassy official receiving them at the Department of International Relations and Cooperation headquarters.
Ramaphosa’s response
“South Africa is a sovereign constitutional democracy and does not appreciate insults from another country about its membership and worth in participating in global platforms,” the statement read. It further noted that while the U.S. government chose not to attend the Johannesburg summit, American businesses and civil society organizations actively participated in related events such as the B20 and G20 Social.
President Ramaphosa reiterated South Africa’s commitment to being a full, active and constructive member of the summit, calling on all members to uphold the principles of consensus and equality that define the forum.
Despite efforts to reset diplomatic relations, the Presidency expressed disappointment that punitive measures continue to be applied by the U.S. administration under Trump’s influence.
