In the first Sunday Show of 2025, Neil de Beer, the President of the United Independent Movement (UIM), comments on the opening moves of 2025 by politicians like President Cyril Ramaphosa, Vice President Paul Mashatile, former Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) MP Dr. Mbuyiseni Ndlozi and US President-Elect Donald Trump. Dissecting President Ramaphosa’s speech this weekend, De Beer concludes that “the ANC is starting to face reality – and stark reality”. He slams Vice President Mashatile’s “absolute idiotic move” to accuse the Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Western Cape of having no regard for the poor while standing in front of a rubbish heap in an ANC’s councillor’s ward. De Beer, who is also a Councillor in the City of Cape Town, describes how the City sometimes has to send the police to escort its rubbish trucks. De Beer weighs in on the big loss to the EFF of the “great mind” of Dr. Ndlozi who was “the wind that was carrying the EFF air” in Parliament. De Beer also marvels at US President-Elect Donald Trump’s survival of yet another legal challenge to head for his second inauguration – and warns that South Africa’s Government of National Unity (GNU) should not be surprised if America said “we do not like your stance in the Middle East and we do not like what you have done – and you will have pressure from us to change your attitude”.
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Edited transcript of the interview
___STEADY_PAYWALL___
Chris Steyn (00:02.516)
Welcome to the first Sunday Show of 2025 with Neil de Beer, the President of the United Independent Movement. Welcome, Neil.
Neil de Beer (00:18.188)
Now, Chris, it’s good to be back. We did a bit of a snippet this week, just a touch-and-go, but officially, this is our first Sunday Show for the year. We’ve received so many messages from people saying they were waiting for us to return. The show has really become something people look forward to. Of course, you always get a few detractors, but for our thousands of viewers, this is going to be a hell of a year.
We’re planning some new things, though we’re not revealing them just yet. Rest assured, we will ensure the truth reigns. Increasingly, we’re receiving cases, pieces of information, and even one or two whistleblowers. That gives us comfort, knowing people trust the show to bring the truth. It helps assemble what’s happening every week in the country. We welcome that trust and will do our utmost to honor it.
Chris Steyn (01:42.664)
Neil, may we start with President Cyril Ramaphosa’s January 8 address in Khayelitsha yesterday?
Neil de Beer (01:52.470)
Yeah, you know, someone once said it looks like cat vomit in a tumble dryer. You have no idea what’s going to pop out of this fracas. Chris, I saw it. As someone with a history in this space, this must be one of the smallest and weakest showings of critical mass I’ve seen from the ANC in my 30 years on terra firma.
If you examine the mood, the expressions on people’s faces, and incidents like the one with Paul Mashatile—where people literally rebuked him and said, “Get out of my house”—you can sense the rejection. Social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) are abuzz, amplifying this sentiment.
For the ANC to claim they returned to Cape Town to “get to grassroots”—well, the roots have been there all along.
Neil de Beer (02:54.218)
In preparing for this show, I focused on key points Cyril needed to address. One of our listeners recently wrote in, accusing us of bashing the ANC while ignoring other parties like the DA and IFP. But here’s the thing: the ANC is the party under scrutiny right now. It’s their 113th anniversary, and they are at the forefront. Later this year, we’ll shift focus to others, but for now, the ANC must be held accountable.
What does a party president do when their party has failed? You can’t argue against the fact that their support has plummeted from 58% to 40%. After governing for 30 years, criticism is inevitable.
Cyril made a striking statement yesterday, saying, “Either the African National Congress renews itself, or it perishes.”
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Neil de Beer (04:18.498)
Think about that. The President of the ANC—and of the country—told his own party that if they don’t renew now, they will perish. It’s a harsh truth, but he couldn’t say otherwise. The data and public sentiment make this evident.
Cyril outlined five key points in his speech, all aligned with that stark statement: renew or perish. One of the points was about the Tripartite Alliance.
Neil de Beer (05:45.078)
The ANC is trying to salvage the Alliance, but the cracks are evident. The South African Communist Party (SACP) recently announced its intention to contest the next elections independently. This could mark the end of the Tripartite Alliance between the ANC, SACP, and COSATU—a partnership that has lasted over 113 years.
Some might argue that communism is irrelevant now, but the SACP still has influence, especially among working-class segments. Losing this alliance would weaken the ANC’s grassroots support even further.
Neil de Beer (06:40.834)
Cyril also acknowledged the collapse of ANC branches and poor service delivery. He admitted unemployment is a major factor in the ANC’s decline.
He touched on the GNU (Government of National Unity), describing it as a “tactical initiative.” This statement is crucial—it sets the stage for the ANC’s strategy in the coming years.
In summary, Cyril’s speech highlighted the ANC’s growing awareness of its challenges. But whether they act on these realities remains to be seen. The usual fanfare of cake-cutting and singing was there, but the ANC is facing a stark reality.
Finally, Chris, this internal conflict—like the public spat between Fikile Mbalula and Tony Yengeni—shows just how fractured the party has become.
Neil De Beer (09:10.602)
It’s also showing that, as Fikile says, “I will charge anybody and everyone who does not lay its solemn base and loyalty to the ANC.”
So that is the ANC’s rocky start for the year. And I think if it starts that way, interesting things are bound to come.
Chris Steyn (09:36.434)
Now, Khayelitsha, where the President made his speech, has also become the battleground between Vice President Paul Mashatile and Democratic Alliance Federal Chair, Ms. Helen Zille.
Neil De Beer (09:49.112)
Yeah, he goes and stands in the middle of Khayelitsha, making sure that the cameras can see the mountains and heaps of rubbish behind him. Then he says, what’s behind him is proof that the DA’s City Council of Cape Town has absolutely no regard for the poor. He claims that because there are so many ministers of national importance around him, it must mean the ANC should come back to Cape Town to fix what the DA cannot.
What a plonker. I mean, if you look at this man, it’s as though he hit himself with a nonstick pan against his bloody head. I’d like him to visit any of the informal settlements in the country right now—Diepsloot, Kwa-Thema, Soweto, Langa. Go stand there. If I were to take a phone camera and stand in front of every rubbish dump currently found in the country, I’d probably run out of bandwidth or data.
What an absolutely idiotic move. And the worst part, Chris, is that he’s standing in an ANC councillor’s ward.
Neil De Beer (11:18.816)
Now the other thing, Chris, is this: is a rubbish dump the political shot you should take? It’s an ANC councillor’s ward, and he never asked who put the rubbish there. When I saw this pathetic tit-for-tat, I wanted to tell him, “Mr. Mashatile, take your jacket off and put the rubbish in your boot, because by the way, the car you’re driving is paid for by the State.”
Those were the shots they fired. Chris, I’m a councillor of the City of Cape Town, by the way, and I can tell you the shocking reality. When we send in rubbish trucks to remove waste, we often have to send police escorts. So, Mr. Mashatile, before you go stand in front of rubbish heaps to rubbish another party, maybe you should start asking your councillors and ministers to come into your area and change their attitudes. Educate people to stop burning and dumping waste.
We’re seeing an era where ambulances, fire trucks, and rubbish trucks need police escorts to provide basic services. Mr. Mashatile is trying to stay relevant, throwing shots, because he knows he cannot let the GNU (Government of National Unity) succeed—otherwise, it will render him irrelevant.
Neil De Beer (13:13.750)
Yeah, the shots were fired on the ground, but let me tell you, it was like hitting a buffalo with a slingshot or a sawn-off air rifle. It made no impact—it just made him look more pathetic.
Chris Steyn (13:27.047)
Meanwhile, the Economic Freedom Fighters have been dealt another big blow with the voluntary resignation of two MPs, including Dr. Ndlozi.
Neil De Beer (13:37.976)
Well, Chris, there go the two anchor points of their tug-of-war team. In tug-of-war, you need two strong anchors to stabilize the rope. For the EFF, those anchors were Floyd Shivambu and Dr. Ndlozi. Floyd ensured the branches and structure of the EFF were in place, while Ndlozi was the Political Commissar. He’s no fool—he’s a very intelligent man.
If you looked at the EFF’s pyramid, Julius Malema was the political face, with Floyd and Ndlozi anchoring the structure. Floyd’s departure destabilized the party. Julius can say what he likes, but Floyd Shivambu was a significant loss to the EFF’s future and structure.
We all knew that when Floyd left, Ndlozi would follow. Ndlozi was treated as a lapdog, a coffee-fetcher—this was documented. However, when Ndlozi entered Parliament, he was the wind beneath the EFF’s wings. His speeches often made sense. His absence at last year’s conference, coupled with Julius’s disrespectful remarks, foreshadowed his resignation.
The big question now is: where will Ndlozi go? Perhaps an academic institution—his doctorate is legitimate, after all—or even MK.
Chris Steyn (16:19.800)
Let’s shift focus to the United States, where President-elect Donald Trump has redefined political survival and comeback.
Neil De Beer (16:37.920)
He’s the ultimate survivalist. People ask why we talk about Trump and the USA. Well, he has nine days to go before his inauguration on the 20th. Just days ago, it seemed like he might end up in jail. There was a hardheaded judge who appeared determined to sentence him 10 days before his swearing-in.
The joke around the table was: if the judge sentenced him, Trump would demand a pardon from Biden’s clone to attend his inauguration and then turn around and charge the judge. One thing’s clear—Trump doesn’t forgive or forget. He takes revenge.
Despite it all, he’s set to be inaugurated. And, Chris, Trump commands attention globally. As South Africa, how will we respond? Will there be engagement or indifference?
I don’t think so. I foresee the U.S. taking an active role in Europe, the Middle East, and Ukraine-Russia. Trump’s appetite for foreign intervention is evident. Before taking office, he’s already warned, “Certain people must act, or they will have hell to pay.” A reporter asked, “Mr. President, what is hell?”
Neil De Beer (19:01.568)
And he didn’t defy it. He just said, “I don’t have to explain that to you.” So he’s already poking big sticks.
For us, in the South African scenario, I think we are looking more at the economic impact of America’s actions on us, particularly the AGOA agreement. But also, don’t be surprised if America looks at us and says to this government, “The GNU…
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Neil De Beer (19:29.804)
…we do not like your stance in the Middle East, and we do not like what you have done. You will face pressure from us to change your attitude.” Finally, I also think one focus will definitely be his attitude towards us economically. Secondly, our positions and affiliations with friends who are not their friends.
And lastly, do not forget BRICS. BRICS has grown to five times its previous size. The total BRICS alliance now includes Brazil, Russia, India, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, and others. They are collectively opposing the American economy and currency. And what did Trump say? “If you guys start your own monetary system, then you will be going into an economic war.” Chris, this is important to discuss because there are so many variables coming from this inauguration.
But let me tell you, it’s going to be something where you need to get your Coca-Cola fizz and your popcorn because, I’m telling you, Trump is a movie on his own.
Chris Steyn (20:42.09)
Quite. Lastly, Neil, closer to home, across the border in Mozambique, have you had an update on the security situation there?
Neil De Beer (20:52.374)
Yes, actually. A friend of mine, who spent time with me in uniform and in the intelligence community, retired in a small town in northern Mozambique called Pemba. Pemba is located up north along the coastline. It experienced significant violence during the ISIL insurgency in the region, tied to the gas and oil sector. My friend now runs a resort-like camp there, and I speak to him once a week.
The situation has calmed somewhat, with less frequent burning and property destruction compared to the shocking scenes we saw before. Chris, you’d be surprised how many South Africans live in Mozambique. Many have gone there to farm or run resorts. It’s also a favorite holiday destination. Unfortunately, due to fear and the turmoil, tourists stayed away last year, causing significant economic losses.
But one thing I need to get off my chest, Chris: no one says people don’t have the right to protest. It’s enshrined in the Constitution, both here and in Mozambique. The problem is the trend of escalating protests into violence—burning buildings, looting shops, and even killing people. Then, after destroying schools because there weren’t enough teachers, they demand those schools be rebuilt. It’s a global trend, not just here.
Neil De Beer (22:50.282)
We’ve seen it in France and Berlin during the recent Islamic-Palestinian protests where businesses were burned. Chris, this isn’t what we stand for. In Mozambique, they started burning parts of Maputo. People need to understand that when Mozambique sneezes, South Africa gets the flu. If something happens drastically in Zimbabwe, Angola, or Mozambique, we can’t just ignore it.
I believe our country has an obligation to intervene. We’ve sent emissaries, and we’ll keep watching. Mozambique is a beautiful country—it’s too beautiful to let it burn. The situation has calmed, but the historic political rivalries there mean it won’t fully go away. Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Mozambique.
Neil De Beer (24:17.664)
Lastly, I want to mention the major fires in California, LA. The images are shocking. It might be America, and they dominate the news, but it’s still devastating. Our hearts go out to all those affected. There are so many global issues we need to address this year.
Chris Steyn (25:17.554)
Indeed. That was Neil De Beer, the President of the United Independent Movement, on the Sunday Show. With BizNews, I’m Chris Steyn. Thank you, Neil.
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