MZANSI was left stunned on Thursday night, 20 November, when President Cyril Ramaphosa revealed that the United States had suddenly changed its mind about boycotting this weekend's G20 Leaders' Summit in Johannesburg.
Ramaphosa made the big announcement while hosting European Union leaders at the Sandton Convention Centre. He said South Africa had received a formal notice from Washington confirming that it now wants to participate in one shape, form or another.
Just a day ago, US President Donald Trump had warned South Africa against handing over the G20 Social Declaration to world leaders, a warning that raised eyebrows and fuelled speculation that the US was gearing up for a full political standoff.
Washington previously said it wouldn't attend the 22-23 November summit because it was unhappy with SA's priorities for the meeting.
As G20 chair, South Africa has put people-centred development, inequality, gender justice and global solidarity at the top of the agenda.
But the US has been moaning, claiming the focus doesn't suit its interests.
Ramaphosa told reporters that America's sudden U-turn comes at a late hour, but he welcomed it, calling it a positive sign.
"All countries are here, and the United States, the biggest economy in the world, needs to be here," he said.
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He added that boycott politics never works and that SA would continue talking to Washington about what its participation will look like.
The move now puts the US back in the negotiating room at Nasrec, where leaders will lock horns this weekend on tough issues affecting ordinary people globally.
Trump has had a rocky relationship with Mzansi since returning to the White House in January.
He has attacked the country on several issues, including repeating discredited claims that white Afrikaners are being killed and slaughtered, comments that sparked outrage locally and internationally.
But for now, it seems the US doesn't want to be left out while the world's major economies gather in Joburg to shape global policy.
Ramaphosa has sent a strong message to the world: the G20 will move forward with or without the United States!
"We will have a declaration. The talks are going extremely well, they're now just dotting the i's and crossing the t's."
He made it clear that South Africa wouldn't bow to pressure from Washington, which has been objecting to parts of the declaration.
"Without the United States, the whole process of the G20 is moving forward. We will not be bullied. We won't agree to be bullied," he warned.
