South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, has hit back at the United States after Pretoria was excluded from an upcoming G20 summit in Florida, insisting that no country has the authority to remove South Africa from the powerful global bloc.
Speaking during the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ meeting in New Delhi, Lamola dismissed suggestions that South Africa’s absence from the US-hosted summit meant it was no longer part of the G20.
“No, he can’t say we can no longer be in the G20 because we are a founding member,” Lamola said.
“What he has done is not to invite South Africa into the G20 summit that will be hosted by the US. But we are a member, we are a founding member, so we really don’t know what will be that summit which does not have one of its founding members.”
The diplomatic fallout marks the latest escalation in tensions between Pretoria and Washington under US President Donald Trump. Lamola revealed that other G20 nations, including Brazil and Russia, had also questioned South Africa’s exclusion.
He contrasted the move with South Africa’s own approach when it hosted G20 engagements, saying the country had kept its doors open to the US despite political differences.
“We were open, we wanted America to attend because they are G20 members,” Lamola said.
The tensions appear to stretch beyond the G20. Earlier this year, South Africa was also left out of the G7 summit in France despite initially receiving an invitation from French President Emmanuel Macron.
Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya claimed the exclusion followed pressure from Washington, including threats to boycott the summit.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana and Reserve Bank Governor Lesetja Kganyago were reportedly denied accreditation for a G20 finance meeting held alongside the IMF and World Bank spring meetings in the US.
Lamola described the current US administration as difficult to predict.
“He is unpredictable. Even for us, it is an unpredictable environment. We deal with it as it comes and as it goes,” he said of Trump.
The minister also dismissed repeated claims from sections of the American political establishment that white Afrikaners are facing genocide in South Africa.
“It does not exist,” Lamola said. “It is a misrepresentation.”
Despite growing diplomatic strain, Lamola said South Africa would not bow to pressure from any major power.
“We will not act at the behest of any superpower,” he said.
At the same time, Pretoria is pushing ahead with efforts to strengthen alliances within the Global South. The Southern African Development Community (SADC) is set to convene a high-level retreat of foreign ministers at Kruger National Park from 22 to 24 May.
The gathering, to be chaired by Lamola, is expected to focus on shifting global power dynamics, the role of the United States in conflicts across the Middle East, and the broader impact of Western foreign policy on developing nations.
“The rise of the Global South is indeed unstoppable,” he said.
- South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, has hit back at the United States after Pretoria was excluded from an upcoming G20 summit in Florida, insisting that no country has the authority to remove South Africa from the powerful global bloc.
- Speaking during the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ meeting in New Delhi, Lamola dismissed suggestions that South Africa’s absence from the US-hosted summit meant it was no longer part of the G20.
- “No, he can’t say we can no longer be in the G20 because we are a founding member,” Lamola said.
- “What he has done is not to invite South Africa into the G20 summit that will be hosted by the US.
- But we are a member, we are a founding member, so we really don’t know what will be that summit which does not have one of its founding members.” The diplomatic fallout marks the latest escalation in tensions between Pretoria and Washington under US President Donald Trump.
“No, he can’t say we can no longer be in the G20 because we are a founding member,” Lamola said.
“What he has done is not to invite
He contrasted the move with
“We were open, we wanted America to attend because they are G20 members,” Lamola said.
Presidency spokesperson Vincent
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Enoch
Lamola described the current US administration as difficult to predict.
“He is unpredictable. Even for us, it is an unpredictable environment. We deal with it as it comes and as it goes,” he said of Trump.
“It does not exist,” Lamola said. “It is a misrepresentation.”
Despite growing diplomatic strain, Lamola said
“We will not act at the behest of any superpower,” he said.
At the same time, Pretoria is pushing ahead with efforts to strengthen alliances within the Global
“
