South Africa is pursuing an ambitious G20 agenda for the November Summit in Johannesburg -- an agenda which, say some, is overly ambitious.

South Africa is pursuing an ambitious G20 agenda for the November Summit in Johannesburg -- an agenda which, say some, is overly ambitious.

Has South Africa boosted Africa's prospects by pursuing a worthy development-oriented agenda for its G20 presidency this year? Or has it bitten off more than it can chew with over-ambitious targets that were always doomed to be scuppered by the US and other like-minded nations?

This key question remains after about 120 of 133 scheduled G20 meetings have been completed, and the summit in Johannesburg on 22-23 November looms large.

G20 members contacted by Daily Maverick were divided on this question.

"I think it's been a really difficult year and they've done a good job," said one diplomat. However, another said SA's agenda was "probably too ambitious and it was ambitious for another time".

South African officials insist their agenda remains on track. SA's G20 "sous-sherpa" (deputy head) Xolisa Mabhongo recently gave journalists a positive progress report on SA's key priorities, including:

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