Cape Town – President Cyril Ramaphosa has hit back at “regrettable” and “misinformed” remarks by United States President Donald Trump, who has announced that South Africa will not be invited to next year’s G20 Summit in Miami.
Trump made the declaration in a lengthy post on his Truth Social platform, alleging that South Africa is unworthy of G20 membership and accusing the government of ignoring what he described as “horrific human rights abuses” against white South Africans.
“The United States did not attend the G20 in South Africa because the South African Government refuses to acknowledge or address the horrific human rights abuses endured by Afrikaners, and other descendants of Dutch, French, and German settlers,” Trump said on Wednesday.
“To put it more bluntly, they are killing white people and randomly allowing their farms to be taken from them,” he claimed. “Perhaps, worst of all, the soon-to-be-out-of-business New York Times and the fake news media won’t issue a word against this genocide.”
He further alleged that South Africa had snubbed the US at the 2025 summit. “At the conclusion of the G20, South Africa refused to hand off the G20 Presidency to a senior representative from our US Embassy, who attended the closing ceremony,” Trump said.
Breaking: Trump obliterates the South African government with one post about the G20.
– All payments and subsidies to South Africa stopped effective immediately.
– No invitation to G20 in 2026.
– Opposition to South Africa’s membership in any International diplomacy. pic.twitter.com/CnbIZ8Oa5z
— Willem Petzer (@willempet) November 26, 2025
“Therefore, at my direction, South Africa will not be receiving an invitation to the 2026 G20, which will be hosted in the great city of Miami, Florida, next year. South Africa has demonstrated to the world that they are not a country worthy of membership anywhere, and we are going to stop all payments and subsidies to it, effective immediately.”
Trump also took a swipe at US media outlets, saying “all the liars and pretenders of the radical left media are going out of business” and accusing newspapers, including the New York Times, of ignoring what he termed “genocide”.
Ramaphosa responds: ‘South Africa is a sovereign country’
In a statement issued shortly after Trump’s remarks, the Presidency said Ramaphosa had taken note of the comments but dismissed them as baseless.
“The G20 South Africa 2025 Leaders’ Summit, attended by several Heads of State and Government, was hailed by all those who attended as one of the most successful summits,” the presidency said.
“The summit produced a declaration that affirmed the indisputable strength and value of multilateralism in responding to the most pressing challenges facing the world.”
The United States chose not to attend the 2025 G20 Summit in Johannesburg, the Presidency noted.
“In keeping with this approach, the United States was expected to participate in all the meetings of the G20 during South Africa’s Presidency, but unfortunately, it elected not to attend the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg out of its own volition.”
PRESIDENT RAMAPHOSA NOTES US STATEMENT ON SOUTH AFRICA’S G20 PARTICIPATION
President @CyrilRamaphosa has noted the regrettable statement by President Donald Trump on South Africa’s participation in the 2026 G20 meetings.
The G20 South Africa 2025 Leaders’ Summit attended by…
— The Presidency 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) November 26, 2025
On Trump’s claims regarding the handover of the G20 Presidency, the Presidency said protocol had been followed. “As the United States was not present at the summit, instruments of the G20 Presidency were duly handed over to a US Embassy official at the Headquarters of South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation.”
Ramaphosa strongly defended South Africa’s standing in the global forum. “South Africa is a member of the G20 in its own name and right. Its G20 membership is at the behest of all other members,” he said.
“South Africa is a sovereign constitutional democratic country and does not appreciate insults from another country about its membership and worth in participating in global platforms.”
The president added that South Africa respects the sovereignty of all nations and “will never insult or demean another country or its standing and worthiness in the community of nations”.
Despite the US government’s absence, South Africa welcomed the participation of American businesses and civil society. “We are pleased that US entities such as businesses and civil society organisations participated in large numbers in G20-related activities such as the B20 and the G20 Social. South Africa values their participation.”
The Presidency said it was “regrettable” that Trump continues to act on “misinformation and distortions” despite efforts to rebuild diplomatic ties. However, Ramaphosa reaffirmed South Africa’s stance: “South Africa will continue to participate as a full, active and constructive member of the G20.”
He urged G20 members “to reaffirm its continued operation in the spirit of multilateralism, based on consensus, with all members participating on an equal footing”.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
