The upcoming G20 summit in Johannesburg, Gauteng, faces uncertainty after US President Donald Trump announced that no American officials would attend, citing claims of coordinated attacks on white South Africans.

In a post via Truth Social last Saturday, 8 November, he declared: “It is a total disgrace that the G20 will be held in South Africa … No US government official will attend as long as these human rights abuses continue.”

Chrispin Phiri, a spokesperson for South Africa’s foreign ministry, dismissed the remarks as baseless, saying there was “absolutely no evidence of white persecution”, and described Trump’s stance as “regrettable”.

He later insisted the success of the summit would not “rest on one member state”.

Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa has used his G20 Presidency to call for decisive global action on inequality. In his weekly newsletter on Monday, 10 November, he warned that “inequality is bad for everyone. It makes the world less stable; fuels conflict and undermines democracy.”

A report, commissioned under South Africa’s presidency and led by Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz, recommended the creation of an International Panel on Inequality and the reform of global finance to support developing nations.

Despite the US’ absence, Ramaphosa insists that the summit will proceed on 22 and 23 November, focusing on solidarity, equality and sustainability.

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