Right-wing organisations Afriforum and Solidarity have come under widespread ridicule following their unsuccessful bid to sabotage the G20 Summit in Johannesburg. The groups celebrated prematurely when then-US President Donald Trump claimed he would boycott the summit, citing unsubstantiated allegations of a “white genocide.”
However, the South African government responded with measured concern, noting that Washington’s absence could complicate the handover of the G20 presidency. The U.S. Embassy initially issued a confusing diplomatic note suggesting a delegation would attend — only for White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly to later hold a press briefing declaring, “We are not going to participate in the G20 summit in Johannesburg,” and deriding President Ramaphosa in crude terms.
South Africa’s response was swift and firm. Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, Minister in the Presidency, reminded Washington that its provocations would not dictate Pretoria’s course: “It doesn’t work that way. We’re a sovereign state,” she asserted. “The sun will continue to rise in the east and set in the west.”
International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola echoed that sentiment: while the U.S. had the right to boycott, South Africa would not bend its diplomatic protocol for any one country — especially when the G20, the African Union, and the European Union had invested collectively in the summit’s success.
Meanwhile, right-wing groups that had spread misinformation about low global attendance were proven wrong when most G20 nations turned up. In fact, key U.S. allies including Britain and France participated fully. French President Emmanuel Macron congratulated President Ramaphosa on what he called a historic first G20 summit on African soil, while Germany’s Ambassador Andreas Peschke echoed his support.
In a panic response, Afriforum’s executive head, Kallie Kriel, issued a letter urging G20 nations to pressure South Africa on property rights and farm murders — but many South Africans saw it as desperate posturing. Critics also highlighted Kriel’s historical ties to apartheid-era politics.
Political commentators and leaders alike did not spare Afriforum and Solidarity — from former Gauteng Premier Mbhazima Shilowa to Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie, all pointed out the hypocrisy, opportunism, and lack of patriotism behind their campaign. Even the Democratic Alliance (DA), which tacitly backed the right-wing groups, was called out for congratulating itself once the summit proved successful. Broadcaster Lerato Mbele summed it up: “The honour is for the country… partisanship has no place at the G20.”
One commentator noted that this wasn’t the first time these right-wing groups miscalculated: previous efforts — such as influencing U.S. tariffs on South African exports, particularly targeting white farmers — had backfired. Their strategies may have aimed at weakening the ANC, but history shows they frequently end up undermining themselves.