By Lizeka Tandwa and Andisiwe Makinana
The South African government will not travel to the US to hand over the G20 presidency, it said this week.
The US will either have to come to South Africa, or host the next meeting of heads of state without an official handover.
This follows months of tension which resulted in US President Donald Trump announcing the US would not be sending a delegation to the summit in Johannesburg next week and denouncing South Africa’s participation in the forum.
In an interview with the Sunday Times this week, South Africa’s G20 Sherpa Ambassador Xolisa Mabhongo said the US will have to come to South Africa or proceed without a handover.
“There is nothing that South Africa will do. We will not be going to the US to hand over. They will simply assume their presidency and inform the world what is on their menu … It is what it is, we are in this situation, and that is how we will manage it,” he said.
Traditionally the country which will assume the presidency takes over the reins after the leaders’ summit. During Brazil’s presidency, a high-level delegation accompanied Ramaphosa to Rio de Janeiro, where President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva transferred chairship of the group to South Africa during a ceremonial event.
More on this story here: https://www.sundaytimes.timeslive.co.za/politics/2025-11-15-lamola-accuses-trump-of-white-supremacy/
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