US-South Africa relations seem dicey after Trump removes SA from G20 website

At various points over the last 12 months, the relationship between the United States and South Africa has been described as having hit an 'all-time low'.

Now, it may have reached the actual low point.

Following the US's no-show at the G20 in Johannesburg and US President Donald Trump's promise to ban South Africans from next year's summit in Miami, a new plot twist emerges.

Ahead of hosting the event next year, Trump removed all traces of South Africa's content from the official G20 website, replacing it with an image of himself and the promise that 'The best is yet to come'.

Geopolitics specialist Dr Terrence McNamee says he's not surprised, adding that the US has been hinting at this for some time.

"It expressed many months ago, before it pulled out of the G20, that it believed South Africa had moved too far away from the core purpose and the raison d'etre of the G20."

McNamee says while relations between the two countries before the recent G20 were alreadyon rocky ground, the recent refusal by South Africa to hand over the baton to a lower-level US official sealed the deal.

"I think things like Lamola's remarks and the handover issue made the booting out of South Africa inevitable."

To listen to Dr Terrence McName in conversation with Bongani Bingwa, click audio below: