Trump's attempt to exclude SA from G20 'regrettable' - DA

The Democratic Alliance (DA) says it’s regrettable that United States President Donald Trump is attempting to exclude South Africa from the Group of 20.

In a social media post on Wednesday night, Trump took umbrage at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s refusal to hand over the G20 presidency to a diplomat at the closing ceremony of the leaders’ summit on Sunday and said that South Africa won’t be welcome in Florida next year.

ALSO READ: Trump retaliates against SA for refusing to hand over G20 presidency to US diplomat

He’s also ordered that all remaining funding to the country be stopped as he once again reiterates the false position that Afrikaners are suffering human rights’ abuses in South Africa.

The DA’s international relations spokesperson, Ryan Smith, said that as a multilateral organisation, it’s not the USA’s prerogative to exclude any of its members.

"It is regrettable that this is the stance Washington has taken, but it’s very much in line with the Trump administration’s approach to foreign policy. We know President Trump is very against the multilateral, rules-based order that the rest of the world engages in, certainly something the DA’s very supportive of, and that’s their foreign policy decision that we will have to navigate as best we can."

The US could attempt to block South African delegates from attending next year’s G20 meetings by denying or revoking visas.

Last week, the US cancelled the visa of former international relations minister, Naledi Pandor after she returned from a trip to the country to meet with the organisation, Justice For All.