Finance Minister Not Attending G20 Finance Meeting Amid Frosty Relations With USA
- The Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana, was excluded from a G20 meeting in Washington, United States
- He also confirmed that Reserve Bank Governor Lesetja Kganyago will not attend the meeting in the build-up to the Summit later this year
- South Africa’s exclusion from the meeting received mixed views from netizens who weighed in on the impact
Tebogo Mokwena, affiliated with Briefly News, covered local and international politics, political analysis, and interviews in South Africa for Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News during his 10 years of experience.
Source: Getty Images
AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS— Neither Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana nor Reserve Bank Governor Lesetja Kganyago will attend the meeting of the G20 finance chiefs meeting in Washington, United States. Netizens discussed the impact of the non-attendance as South Africa was also not accredited to be part of the G20 Summit in Florida.
Godongwana spoke to Bloomberg on 12 April 2025 at the Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam. He said that South Africa, which hosted the G20 Summit in November 2025, was a G20 member. However, the country will be excluded because of an absence of accreditation. Godongwana joked that South Africa was on holiday from the G20 Summit.
Why did the US block SA?
The exclusion of the South African government from the G20 Summit signalled a widening rift between the two countries. The United States did not attend the G20 Summit. The US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that he would not attend the summit, accusing the government of white genocide and forced land grabs. The United States did not send any delegation to the G20 Summit, which was handed over to them. Trump said that he would not invite South Africa because of the white genocide the government has been accused of.
DON'T MISS IT: Stay Away From Fake News With Our Short, Free Fact-Checking Course. Join And Get Certified!
Source: Getty Images
What did netizens say?
Social media was abuzz on X as the conversation centred around the ramifications of South Africa’s exclusion.
Unlikely Content asked:
“I wonder how far South Africa will go in going against one of the most powerful countries on earth?”
LGNU said:
“Non-attendance at G20 finance meetings signals more than diplomatic distance. It can weaken coordination on debt, trade, and global financial stability at a time when alignment is crucial.”
Th3Oneoracle remarked:
“I don’t think SA will be missed. They bring nothing to the table.”
Shrasti observed:
“South Africa skipping the G20 is a massive middle finger to the US-led financial order and proof that BRICS is finally choosing sides. The diplomatic rift is no longer a rumour. It is a divorce in real time, and Pretoria is betting its future on a multi-polar world instead of Washington’s approval.”
Khoe oa ga Ntu said:
“Washington has made it clear that our leaders are not welcome. Why embarrass ourselves? The truth is that nothing worth discussing is possible without the biggest and most advanced economy in Africa.”
Lion of Debe Nek asked:
“How is it that the US will send an ambassador to RSA and still insist on alienating the Republic?”
Enoch Godongwana confirms ransomware attack
In a related article, Briefly News reported that Godongwana confirmed that the Land Bank was hit with a ransomware attack on 12 January. The hackers demanded R5.4 million, but the bank did not pay.
Godongwana made the revelation in his response to Parliamentary questions. He added that critical banking systems and farmer data were not compromised.”
PAY ATTENTION: Follow Briefly News on Twitter and never miss the hottest topics! Find us at @brieflyza!
Source: Briefly News
