South Africa has decided not to hand over the annual G20 Presidency to a junior US official at the end of the leaders' summit, even as a White House official cautions Cyril Ramaphosa over running his mouth against the US and President Donald Trump.

Beijing is expected to strike a conciliatory tone at this year's G20 and expand its foothold in the African continent.

The decision to have an acting ambassador attend the Group of 20 in South Africa came after the president said the United States would boycott.

A White House official says a representative from the United States Embassy in South Africa will attend a formal handover ceremony at the end of this weekend’s Group of 20 summit in Johannesburg, but the U.

The US formally warned SA against pushing for a joint statement at this weekend’s G20 summit in Johannesburg that the Trump administration is boycotting.

When Donald Trump announced that no one from his administration would attend the first G20 summit to be held on African soil, South Africa’s president shot back: “their loss”. The summit will go ahead,