President Cyril Ramaphosa has closed the G20 Leaders’ Summit with a message of unity and partnership in dealing with global problems.

In closing the two-day summit of leaders of top world economies at the Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg, Ramaphosa handed over the G20 presidency to the US, which had boycotted the event, over frosty diplomatic relations with South Africa.

WATCH | ‘We shall see each other again in the United States” President Cyril Ramaphosa remarks as he officially closes the G20 Leaders’ Summit in South Africa. #SABSNEWSG20 pic.twitter.com/7yxOynj1OY

— SABC News (@SABCNews) November 23, 2025

Meanwhile, Soweto residents have called on Ramaphosa to come up with a solid poverty alleviation and job creation plan following the summit.

There’s been criticism from the public that the delivery of basic services only improves when there are major gatherings.

These residents say they want to see an improvement in the quality of their lives. “As the G20 is here, we are looking for jobs, and we are looking for electricity in our communities because our communities are having a problem, but now that there is a G20, the president makes it like everything is fine in our country.”

“We need this G20 to come to us as the people of South Africa to get a clean environment in our townships and to have some RDP houses and most of the things we need to end this poverty which we are in in South Africa,” says another resident.

VIDEO | Views of residents, businesses around Nasrec:

Meanwhile, government says Ramaphosa stood his ground because he wanted to ensure the success of the G20 Leaders’ Summit.

This after the White House Press Secretary accused Ramaphosa of saying the US had changed its mind and had decided to take part in the summit.

Pretoria refused to bow to pressure from President Donald Trump’s administration to hand over the G20 Presidency to a junior staff member at the US embassy in South Africa.

Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni says President Ramaphosa has shown leadership in how he has handled the issue.

“We are bigger than that, and President Ramaphosa has demonstrated to the world that he is the leader among leaders.

Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, answering a question about President Donald Trump’s spokesperson criticising President Cyril Ramaphosa. #SABCNewsG20 pic.twitter.com/mqeRtjrHDc

— SABC News (@SABCNews) November 23, 2025