The diplomatic standoff is particularly awkward given that it’s the first time the African continent is hosting a G20.
Tensions are simmering between South Africa and the United States (US) following a formal warning to Pretoria against pushing for a joint statement at the Group of 20 Summit (G20) Leaders Social Summit in Johannesburg.
The diplomatic standoff is particularly awkward given that it’s the first time the African continent is hosting a G20 summit and President Cyril Ramaphosa is handing over the baton to US President Donald Trump at the end of this year.
‘Extermination’
Trump said no American official would set foot on South African soil for the high-level international gathering, falsely claiming South Africa had committed genocide against Afrikaners, whom he had offered refugee status from May this year.
The US president continued to single out South Africa, going on a rant on Tuesday, saying the country has “behaved badly” and is “exterminating people.”
“I’m not going to South Africa for the G20 because I think their policies on the extermination of people are unacceptable. So I’m not going. South Africa has behaved extremely badly,” Trump told reporters.
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Tensions
Tensions came to a head when Trump ambushed Ramaphosa in the Oval Office earlier this year, playing a video in which he alleged a campaign against white farmers by the post-apartheid government.
According to a diplomatic communication delivered on 15 November, the US said it would neither participate in preparatory talks before the G20 summit, nor the gathering of world leaders this weekend, according to Bloomberg.
Blocking outcome
It will block any outcome framed as a consensus G20 position because South Africa’s priorities “run counter to US policy views,” according to a copy of the document.
“The US opposes issuance of any G20 summit outcome document under the premise of a consensus G20 position, without US agreement,” it said.
“If a deliverable is issued under your Presidency, it will be framed solely as a chair’s statement to accurately reflect the absence of consensus.”
US bill
In April 2025, US Congressman and Republican Ronny Jackson introduced the US-South Africa Bilateral Relations Review Act, which provides tools to impose sanctions on “corrupt South African government officials” who support America’s adversaries, such as China, Russia and Iran.
The bill came as relations between the US and South Africa were at an all-time low after Trump cut financial aid to South Africa, citing Pretoria taking Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and “strengthening ties with Iran, which supports terrorism globally”.
Jackson introduced the US-South Africa Bilateral Relations Review Act of 2025, which mandates a full review of the bilateral relationship between the United States and South Africa.
Relationship
The Citizen has contacted the US State department for comment. This will be included in the story once received.
International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola told the Bloomberg Africa Business Summit on Tuesday that Pretoria had repeatedly sought to repair the relationship with the US.
“We have always been open – the aggression is on the side of the US,” he said.
The Citizen has contacted Dirco for additional comment on the warning issued to South Africa about the G20 summit.
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