US secretary Marco Rubio will not attend G20 summit because SA ‘is doing very bad things’

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio has refused to attend the G20 summit in South Africa this year.

The G20 summit is scheduled to kick off in Johannesburg on November 22. South Africa assumed the presidency of the G20 IN December last year, taking over from Brazil.

This global event promises to attract thousands of international delegates, placing Johannesburg in the international spotlight.

Absent

However, in a social media post on Wednesday, Rubio wrote that he “will not” be there to protest the South African government’s controversial land seizure bill.

“I will NOT attend the G20 summit in Johannesburg. South Africa is doing very bad things. Expropriating private property. Using G20 to promote “solidarity, equality, & sustainability.” In other words: DEI and climate change.

ALSO READ: SA to prioritise food security, economic growth in G20 presidency, says Ramaphosa

“My job is to advance America’s national interests, not waste taxpayer money or coddle anti-Americanism,” Rubio said in a post on X (formally Twitter).

Lamola responds

Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola said he had taken note of Rubio’s post.

“We are a sovereign and democratic country committed to human dignity, equality and rights,  championing non-racialism and non-sexism while placing our constitution and the rule of law at the forefront.”

Lamola said there is no arbitrary dispossession of land / private property.

“This law is similar to the Eminent domain laws. Solidarity / Ubuntu promotes collective problem-solving. Our G20 Presidency is not confined to just climate change but also equitable treatment for nations of the Global South, ensuring an equal global system for all.

“These are important principles that we remain open to pursuing and engaging the United States on,” Lamola said.

Trump criticism

US President Donald Trump’s administration has been vocally critical of the land seizure bill.

Trump announced on Sunday that his administration would halt all funding to South Africa after Ramaphosa signed the Expropriation Act.

In a Truth Social post, Trump called the situation a “massive Human Rights VIOLATION, at a minimum.”

“South Africa is confiscating land and treating certain classes of people VERY BADLY,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

“I will be cutting off all future funding to South Africa until a full investigation of this situation has been completed!” Trump wrote.

‘SA leadership doing terrible things’

Later, in a briefing with journalists, Trump said South Africa’s “leadership is doing some terrible things, horrible things” without giving examples.

“So that’s under investigation right now. We’ll make a determination, and until such time as we find out what South Africa is doing — they’re taking away land and confiscating land, and actually, they’re doing things that are perhaps far worse than that.”

Ramaphosa cool

However, Ramaphosa coolly responded to Trump’s accusations, denying that any unjust confiscation of land had occurred.

“South Africa is a constitutional democracy that is deeply rooted in the rule of law, justice and equality. The South African government has not confiscated any land.

“We look forward to engaging with the Trump administration over our land reform policy and issues of bilateral interest,” Ramaphosa said.

“We are certain that out of those engagements, we will share a better and common understanding over these matters”.

Ramaphosa last month signed a bill that stipulated the government may, in certain circumstances, offer “nil compensation” for property it decides to expropriate in the public interest.

ALSO READ: Ramaphosa responds to Trump, says SA has ‘not confiscated any land’