India, Dec. 1 -- As the diplomatic relationship between the United States and South Africa continues to deteriorate following an immediate dispute over attending G20 summits, SA President Cyril Ramaphosa has hit back at his US counterpart Donald Trump.

After Trump repeatedly made allegations - widely discredited - that South Africa's black-majority government "persecutes the white minority", Ramaphosa dismissed his words as "blatant misinformation". He affirmed South Africa's status as a founding member of the G20 even as Trump said he won't invite the country to next year's summit in the US.

President Trump had announced on Wednesday that he is "barring South Africa from participating" in the Group of 20 summit next year at his Miami-a...