South Africa rebukes Trump over G20 ban, calls move punitive, unfounded

South Africa has slammed US President Donald Trump’s decision to exclude it from the 2026 G20 summit, describing the action as “punitive” and based on false narratives that threaten global cooperation.

The diplomatic row follows a tense G20 summit in Johannesburg last week, which Washington skipped, and Trump’s subsequent announcement that South Africa would not be invited to next year’s meeting at his Miami golf resort.

In a statement issued late Wednesday, the South African presidency reaffirmed the country’s status as a sovereign G20 member. “South Africa is a constitutional democracy and a legitimate member of the G20. We do not accept punitive actions or insults based on distortions about our country,” it said, vowing to continue participating fully in all G20 processes.

Trump justified the exclusion by citing alleged “horrific human rights abuses” against white farmers and South Africa’s refusal to ceremonially hand over the G20 presidency to the United States during the Johannesburg summit. Pretoria, however, insisted that Washington be represented “at the right level” and conducted the handover at a separate low-key foreign ministry event.

The statement criticised Trump for ignoring efforts by President Cyril Ramaphosa to reset bilateral relations. “Despite numerous attempts to engage constructively, the US administration continues to impose punitive measures based on misinformation,” it said.

Relations between the two nations have been further strained by South Africa’s legal case against Israel at the International Court of Justice over Gaza and the imposition of a 30 per cent US tariff, the highest in sub-Saharan Africa.

The G20, comprising 19 countries plus the European Union and the African Union, represents two-thirds of the world’s population and 85 per cent of global GDP. South Africa’s presidency of the 2025 G20 summit marked a historic moment for Africa, and the country has vowed to remain active in the bloc despite Washington’s objections.