DIRCO considers SA’s non-invitation to first G20 sherpas' meeting 'a breach of protocol'

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) said it considers South Africa’s non-invitation to the first meeting of Group of 20 sherpas since handing over the presidency to the United States (US) as a breach of protocol.

Director general Zane Dangor has on Wednesday confirmed to Parliament that South Africa was excluded from Sunday’s meeting that would start to map out the next year of the G20’s work.

Dangor said South Africa learnt of the meeting from the sherpas of other member states, who said they expressed their disapproval at South Africa being snubbed.

Following November’s G20 Leaders’ Summit, US President Donald Trump decreed on social media that South Africa would not be included in 2026’s G20 meetings after refusing to handover the presidency to a diplomat in his absence.

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But Dangor said the US does not have the prerogative to exclude South Africa as a G20 member.

“This is a breach of G20 protocol. Guest countries get invited. South Africa is a member of the G20, and our participation shouldn’t be dependent on whether the presidency seeks to invite a member or not.”

Answering questions from Parliament’s portfolio committee, Dangor could not immediately say how the department will address the matter.

But he said other sherpas had informed South Africa that the issue did come up for discussion at the meeting.

US sherpas reportedly said they were carrying out the instruction of their president by not inviting South African sherpas to attend.