Key points
- Trump’s claims of white persecution debunked
- Ramaphosa criticises US absence from G20
- Trump’s allegations on South Africa unfounded
CAPE TOWN: South African President Cyril Ramaphosa responded to US President Donald Trump’s decision to boycott the upcoming G20 summit in South Africa, calling it “their loss.”
Ramaphosa stated that “the United States needs to think again whether boycott politics actually works, because in my experience it doesn’t work.” Trump had announced that no US government official would attend the November 22-23 summit in Johannesburg, citing his unsubstantiated claims that South Africa’s white minority group faces violent persecution and land confiscation, reports AP News.
The US president has long criticised South Africa’s Black-led government, notably accusing it of supporting claims of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. Ramaphosa noted, “It is unfortunate that the United States decided not to attend the G20,” emphasising that the summit would proceed with the participation of other world leaders. “The United States by not being at the G20… giving up the very important role that they should be playing as the biggest economy in the world.”
Baseless allegations
Trump had raised similar baseless allegations in May when he met Ramaphosa at the White House, claiming that Afrikaner whites were being attacked and their land seized. At that meeting, Ramaphosa had urged Trump to attend the G20, the first ever held in Africa.
The G20, formed in 1999, includes the world’s largest economies such as the US, China, Russia, India, and the EU, and addresses global economic and developmental challenges. The US is set to take over the rotating presidency from South Africa at the end of the year.
Trump criticised the G20 being held in South Africa, calling it a “total disgrace” and repeating claims of anti-white violence, echoing previous comments made by conservative media since 2018.
Misinformation
Trump and figures like Elon Musk have accused South Africa’s government of racism towards whites due to its affirmative action policies aimed at addressing past apartheid injustices.
Ramaphosa’s government has rejected these claims, attributing them to misinformation.
Tensions between the US and South Africa have worsened, with the US expelling the South African ambassador in March over critical remarks about Trump.
Relations between the two nations have soured, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also criticising South Africa’s hosting of the G20 earlier this year.
