International Relations and Cooperation Minister, Ronald Lamola, has congratulated  South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) News for punching above its weight in delivering a seamless broadcast of the G20 Leaders’ Summit.

In high spirits after the majority of the G20 Sherpas reached a consensus on the Summit Declaration, on Friday, Lamola credited the host broadcaster for upholding its mandate to inform, educate and entertain South Africans.

In his words, the Minister said that SABC News has left an indelible mark on international broadcasters such as the BBC, CNN and Al Jazeera, for providing them quality and timeous feed from the Leaders’ Summit plenary in Nasrec, Johannesburg.

WATCH | DIRCO Minister Ronald Lamola has praised the SABC, commending the public broadcaster for delivering comprehensive coverage of the G20 Leaders’ Summit to audiences around the world. #SABCNEWSG20 pic.twitter.com/oQBVxx2gec

— SABC News (@SABCNews) November 23, 2025

VIDEO | G20 Summit | Lamola and Godongwana brief the media

‘Power of public broadcaster’

Speaking from the Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg – where more than forty Heads of State and government gathered to finalise the annual Leaders’ Summit Declaration – SABC Group CEO Nomsa Chabeli says South Africans, in their diversity, have recognised the influence and power of the public broadcaster.

She adds that true to its mandate to inform, educate and entertain and to build a capable and democratic State, the SABC has, in the past two days, broadcast an international event in 12 official languages, including sign language.

G20 Summit | This is our moment of pride: SABC GCEO

‘Extensive preparations’

A political commentator from North West University, Goodfriday Mhlongo, says South Africa’s strong organisation of the G20 Leaders’ Summit has firmly placed the country on the global stage.

After assuming the G20 presidency from Brazil, South Africa hosted a series of meetings across the country, culminating in the two-day Leaders’ Summit that concluded today.

Mhlongo says the country deserves full credit for the extensive preparations and measures put in place to ensure the summit’s success.

“Throughout the year, there have been many summits that were hosted in the country, from young people to artists, from scientists, from business people, etc. So, there have always been meetings in various towns and cities in the country. So, the success of the G20 should actually be judged from those meetings, not only on the Leaders’ Summit. G20 has actually been a success.”