Stalemate: Ramaphosa refuses to hand over G20 presidency to US low-ranking chargé d’affaires
President Cyril Ramaphosa's spokesperson Vincent Magwenya wrote on X that the president would not hand over the G20 Presidency to the US chargé d’affaires.
Image: Presidency
President Cyril Ramaphosa has rejected Washington’s plan to send a low-level delegation to the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg this weekend, saying he will not hand over the G20 Presidency to a chargé d’affaires.
In diplomatic practice, a chargé d’affaires is the lowest-ranking head of mission, typically appointed only when a country does not have an ambassador in place. Unlike an ambassador or minister, a chargé d’affaires does not present credentials to a host head of State and is generally viewed as a temporary or junior-level representative.
South Africa considers the G20 Presidency handover a high-level ceremonial event, prompting concern that the US was downgrading its participation by assigning a chargé d’affaires to lead its delegation.
The pushback emerged in a late-night post on X (formerly Twitter) from Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, who said the president would not preside over a handover ceremony involving a chargé d’affaires.
Magwenya's post came after the United States quietly reversed its earlier total boycott announcement by President Donald Trump, and informed Pretoria's Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) it would now send a small delegation led by its chargé d’affaires in Pretoria, Marc D. Dillard.
The United States currently does not have an ambassador in Pretoria, and US ambassador-designate to South Africa Brent Bozell III is tipped to take over the post left by Ambassador Reuben E. Brigety II. In November last year, IOL reported that Brigety announced his resignation, effective January 10, 2025. This came as per the standard procedure during the change of presidential administration, after US citizens re-elected Trump as president.
Former US ambassador to South Africa, Reuben Brigety.
Image: File
A diplomatic note from the US Embassy to Dirco, seen by IOL, confirms the shift. In the note, numbered 3023/25, the embassy states that Dillard “will head the US delegation” and will “participate in the G20 Presidency handover ceremony as part of the closing session on November 23.”
The embassy also requested accreditation for an eight-member delegation — including plenary delegates and viewing-room delegates — led by Dillard.
South Africa views the move as a diplomatic slight. Pretoria had expected a senior-level representative, given the significance of the G20 Presidency handover. Ramaphosa’s stance suggests the ceremony may not proceed as planned unless Washington adjusts its delegation level.
The latest development deepens tensions between Pretoria and Washington after White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt accused Ramaphosa of “running his mouth” earlier on Thursday, sparking outrage in South Africa.
It remains unclear whether the US will reconsider its delegation or whether South Africa will postpone or modify the handover ceremony should the chargé d’affaires remain the head of the US mission.
jonisayi.maromo@iol.co.za
IOL News