Cape Town – US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced he will not attend the upcoming G20 foreign ministers’ meeting in South Africa, following recent threats by President Donald Trump to cut US funding to the country.
Trump, without evidence, accused South Africa of confiscating land and discriminating against “certain classes of people”.
President Cyril Ramaphosa rejected Trump’s claims on Monday, saying the Expropriation Act is not a “confiscation instrument” but a “constitutionally mandated legal process that ensures public access to land in an equitable and just manner”.
Rubio criticised South Africa for promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and climate change at the G20, saying his priority is advancing US national interests.
“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.
“My job is to advance America’s national interests, not waste taxpayer money or coddle anti-Americanism,” Rubio wrote on X.
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.
My job is to advance America’s national interests, not…
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) February 5, 2025
The issue of land ownership remains politically sensitive in South Africa, where white landowners still hold most farmland, a legacy of apartheid.
A new law signed by Ramaphosa allows land expropriation in the public interest.
Trump’s administration has opposed DEI initiatives, labeling them anti-merit, while rights groups argue they address historical inequalities.
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Picture: X/@SecRubio
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
