Tensions continue to rise between South Africa and the US ahead of the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg. This is due to the US’s decision to boycott the summit and send only its chargé d’affaires, Marc Dillard, to the handover ceremony.

High-ranking government officials have taken offence over the plan to send a junior diplomat. They say Pretoria is pushing back against this and the department of international relations and co-operation engaging the US embassy.

“It’s not something we are going to entertain because the president can’t hand over to an embassy official. These people are insulting us,” an insider said. “We are still measured in our public pronouncement ... because we understand this process is bigger than one country.”

Despite the tensions, President Cyril Ramaphosa said the US is a part of the G20 and has every right to attend. Their seat at the G20 remains and will hopefully be occupied, he said.

“The US has a right to participate in the G20 and much as they notify us at the 11th hour, we still need to engage with them to understand fully what their participation at the 11th hour means and how it will manifest,” he said.