This comes just days after SA formally handed over the G20 Presidency to the US. Washington boycotted the G20 Summit in Johannesburg at the weekend, accusing Pretoria of human rights abuses against Afrikaners. Despite the boycott, G20 leaders adopted the summit declaration.
Presidential Spokesperson Vincent Magwenya criticised Trump’s stance, emphasising that SA remains committed to strengthening bilateral ties.
Magwenya said SA “will continue to participate as a full, active and constructive member of the G20”, urging all members to uphold multilateralism, consensus, and equal participation across all G20 structures.
He stressed that President Cyril Ramaphosa’s administration has made “numerous attempts” to improve diplomatic relations with Washington, but these have been met with “punitive measures against SA based on misinformation and distortions about our country”.
The Presidency maintains that SA’s G20 participation going forward is undeterred, and it expects all member states, including the US, to act in line with the principles that underpin the global forum.
–SABC/ChannelAfrica–
