JOHANNESBURG, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) -- No single member of the Group of 20 (G20) has a unilateral right to exclude South Africa, a founding member, from the bloc, South African International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola said Thursday.

Lamola issued an open letter to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio after the latter criticized South Africa's domestic policies and its G20 stewardship in a Substack post on Wednesday.

Reaffirming South Africa's Role in the G20, Lamola said that South Africa's presidency emphasized equal partnership with Africa and the Global South, as well as the need to address systemic macroeconomic challenges affecting developing economies.

"It is a matter of public record that the United States chose not to attend the G20 meetings. Given that absence, the notion of South Africa's 'sabotaging' consensus is not just incorrect, it misunderstands the very purpose of a forum like the G20," said the minister.

"True leadership doesn't mean everyone leaves getting everything they want; it means everyone leaves feeling they have been truly heard," he added.

Responding to accusations regarding South Africa's domestic policies, Lamola dismissed claims that the government mistreats white South Africans, saying, "This could not be further from the truth."

Noting that South Africa does not seek U.S. approval for its path, he stressed, "Our path is our own, chosen by our people and guided by our sovereign laws. But we do seek, and we will always extend, a hand of respectful partnership."

In that spirit of shared humanity and clear-eyed hope, South Africa remains open to dialogue, committed to maintaining its overall relations, Lamola added. Enditem