‘Untrue and fake news’: Mbalula slams US Secretary of State’s critique of G20 Presidency

ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula has slammed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s critique of South Africa’s G20 Presidency and the successors of Nelson Mandela, whom the Republican says have driven talented citizens abroad.

This comes after South Africa was not invited to the upcoming G20 Sherpa meeting that would start to map out the next year of work.

Rubio published a statement titled “America Welcomes a New G20” on Thursday, 4 December, roughly a week after South Africa handed the US the G20 Presidency.

In it, he referred to South Africa’s term as one that operated with “spite, division, and radical agendas that failed to produce economic growth.”

He added that the previous hosts did not deserve to be a part of the world’s 20 largest economies, given its stagnated economy and “burdensome regulatory regime driven by racial grievance.”

To this, Mabalula responded by saying that Rubio’s comments were “untrue and fake news.”

“The G20 held in SA and led by President Cyril Ramaphosa was one of the most successful, as hailed by all world leaders who attended. It was premised on Solidarity, Equality and sustainability,” he added.

“The declaration passed has been praised as one of the most progressive and a great leap forward in terms of positioning the global south as an equal in the family of nations.”

This comes after a tense few weeks between the two nations surrounding the handover of the G20 presidency.

South Africa initially refused to officially hand over the Presidency to a junior delegation after the US boycotted the leader’s summit at the end of November, citing false claims of persecution of white people by the government.

However, South Africa eventually decided to proceed, breaking a longstanding tradition in which the presidency is handed to the leader of the country set to host the next summit.

Once it received the G20 Presidency, US President Donald Trump announced that South Africa would not be invited to next year’s summit.

Ramaphosa responded by saying that the country is a member “in its own name and right” and does not attend at the discretion of any single nation.

He stated that the 2025 G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg, which the United States chose not to attend, was praised by participating heads of state and resulted in a declaration reaffirming the importance of multilateral cooperation.

Poland to be invited in South Africa’s place – Rubio

Rubio has now said that Poland will be invited to next year’s summit in place of South Africa.

“Poland, a nation that was once trapped behind the Iron Curtain but now ranks among the world’s 20 largest economies, will be joining us to assume its rightful place in the G20,” he said.

“Poland’s success is proof that a focus on the future is a better path than one on grievances.”

He then went on to criticise those who governed South Africa after Nelson Mandela, who have “replaced reconciliation with redistributionist policies.”

The US Secretary of State also took aim at the ANC, saying that the country, under its governance, has “sought to scapegoat its own citizens and the United States.”

“As President Trump has rightly highlighted, the South African government’s appetite for racism and tolerance for violence against its Afrikaner citizens have become embedded as core domestic policies.”

“It seems intent on enriching itself while the country’s economy limps along, all while South Africans are subject to violence, discrimination, and land confiscation without compensation.”

While South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation has yet to comment on Rubio’s remarks, it has repeatedly addressed the US’s comments on the alleged persecution of white Afrikaners in the country.

“The claim that this community faces persecution is not substantiated by fact,” the ministry said in response to Trump’s rationale for boycotting the G20 summit.

DIRCO’s comment will be added once received.