International Relations and Co-operation Minister Ronald Lamola on Thursday outlined the economic issues South Africa plans to raise when world leaders meet in Johannesburg for the G20 summit this weekend.
Speaking about South Africa’s position in global manufacturing and the green transition, Lamola said the country supplies many of the minerals needed for technologies such as electric vehicles, yet those resources are largely extracted and exported without benefiting local industries. This, he warned, drains jobs, weakens domestic manufacturing and limits the broader economic gains that should come from South Africa’s resource base.
“This is what we will address at the G20,” he said. “We will share views and exchange knowledge and use that information for the benefit of all.”
Lamola said part of the challenge is acknowledging the structural barriers that have held back intra-African trade and the continent’s participation in global value chains. Africa trades internally at 16 percent, he noted, when it should be at 30 percent or more. He said the continent must make better use of its free trade area to correct longstanding economic imbalances.
He pointed to the Southern African Development Community as an example of progress that has not yet reached its potential. Despite being one of the continent’s more organised regional blocs, intra-SADC trade stands at 21 percent, far below the roughly 50 percent target.
“The challenge is to work for regional integration. Africa is a resource for minerals and AI — not just as a consumer,” he said at a Time magazine event.
Lamola also highlighted the imbalance in how digital platforms compensate African creators. He said creators on global social networks receive far less payment than their counterparts in regions such as Europe, arguing that Africa must better leverage its resources and intellectual property to build more equitable partnerships with the global north.
“We have young people who must contribute to research and innovation, and we should be adequately paid for our content creation,” he said.
Despite the scale of the issues raised, Lamola maintained an optimistic tone, saying these structural questions are precisely the kinds of matters that should be addressed at a forum like the G20. His remarks align with the broader priorities under this year’s G20 presidency, including disaster resilience, debt sustainability for low-income countries, financing a just energy transition, and harnessing critical minerals for inclusive and sustainable growth.
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