South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has criticized US President Donald Trump for refusing to attend the G20 summit set for 22–23 November in Johannesburg. Trump announced that no US officials would travel to the meeting, saying South Africa should not be hosting it and repeating claims that white South Africans face systematic persecution. He called the situation a disgrace and said Vice-President JD Vance would represent the US. South Africa rejected the allegations, pointing to research, rights groups, and police data that show no evidence of a so-called white genocide or land seizures without compensation.

Ramaphosa told reporters that the boycott would not affect the summit’s work and said South Africa would proceed with its agenda as this year’s G20 president. His comments come as Pretoria’s case at the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of geno-cide has increased tension with Washington. The dispute also echoes other recent US claims about mass kil-lings in Nigeria, which Abuja has dismissed as exaggerated or politically driven.

The broader fallout shows how charged narratives about violence in African states often resurface during diplomatic friction with Washington. Analysts have highlighted parallels between claims of attacks on white farmers in South Africa and allegations of religious kil-lings in Nigeria, both surfacing as African governments deepen ties with non-Western partners and take more assertive positions in global debates. AFP reports that Argentina’s President Javier Milei also plans to skip the summit and will send his foreign minister, while South African officials say preparations remain on track.