Ramaphosa blasts Trump for blocking South Africa from next year's G20 summit

President Cyril Ramaphosa termed as an insult Donald Trump's statement that he would bar South Africa from attending next year's G20 summit on American soil.

In a statement Thursday, the presidency said South Africa would continue to participate as a full, active and constructive member of the G20.

Last weekend, South Africa hosted a successful G20 summit, the first on African soil, which Washington boycotted despite being the incoming G20 president.

South Africa rejected the US's suggestion to hand over the presidency an embassy official. The ceremony instead happened at Pretoria's Foreign Ministry building after the summit.

As a member of the bloc, South Africa does not need an invitation to a G20 event.

The meeting's declaration, giving more attention to issues that affect developing countries, went unsigned by Washington, and White House expressed its opposition to South Africa’s agenda, especially the parts that focus on climate change.

South Africa has been a target for Trump since he returned to office at the start of the year, with his administration casting the country as anti-American because of its foreign policy.

He has also attacked policies that seek to undo the legacy of apartheid by empowering South Africa's Black population.