Last week, Washington confirmed that G20 foreign ministers will meet in Atlanta on 30–31 October, with the leaders’ summit set for Trump National Doral in Miami on 14–15 December, aligned with the 250th anniversary of US independence. South Africa, which only recently held the G20 presidency, is notably absent from the list of invitees.
As the United States rolls out its plans to host the 2026 G20, South Africa finds itself facing a double blow: exclusion from the high-profile global forum and renewed legal scrutiny over President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala scandal.
Last week, Washington confirmed that G20 foreign ministers will meet in Atlanta on 30–31 October, with the leaders’ summit set for Trump National Doral in Miami on 14–15 December, aligned with the 250th anniversary of US independence. South Africa, which only recently held the G20 presidency, is notably absent from the list of invitees.
While the US has not publicly provided a detailed explanation, the decision has fuelled speculation in diplomatic and political circles that Pretoria is being sidelined over its increasingly independent foreign policy stance.
At the same time, the Constitutional Court has agreed to hear a fresh challenge related to the Phala Phala saga, brought by the EFF and ATM. The case questions Parliament’s handling of the scandal and could potentially reopen the door to impeachment proceedings against Ramaphosa.
