Capitalist activist Rob Hersov paints a bleak picture of the consequences of current antagonism between the US and South Africa. His conclusion is that SA is headed for at least a repeat of the 1985 economic crisis, possibly worse, so batten down the hatches as those careless individuals manning the tiller will consciously drive the economy onto the rocks. He spoke to BizNews editor Alec Hogg.
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BizNews Reporter ___STEADY_PAYWALL___
In a candid and explosive conversation with BizNews founder Alec Hogg, businessman and outspoken political commentator Rob Hersov delivered a sobering assessment of South Africa’s current trajectory. Speaking from Dubai before heading to London for the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship conference, Hersov laid bare his concerns about the country’s political and economic future, the failures of the ANC, and the potential consequences of U.S. sanctions.
The “lipstick on a pig” Government
Hersov did not hold back in his criticism of the Government of National Unity (GNU), calling it nothing more than an exercise in keeping Jacob Zuma’s MK party out of power. “The GNU is putting lipstick on a pig,” he remarked. While he acknowledged that the country was fortunate to avoid an MK-ANC coalition, he argued that the current government is failing to address crime, corruption, and economic growth. “We’re not fixing the country,” he warned.
Referring to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address (SONA), Hersov dismissed the economic growth target of 3% as a fantasy. “Botswana is at 3.3% across the road, and we have socialist Cyril and his ANC clan floating a balloon saying 3%. They’re not going to get there. There’s no policy,” he argued.
The GNU: A “doormat for the ANC”?
Hersov weighed in on the broader failures of the GNU, echoing a recent critique by political analyst Frans Cronjé. According to Cronjé, the GNU has essentially become a doormat for the ANC. Hersov contrasted this view with that of his ally, Patriotic Alliance leader Gayton McKenzie, who continues to support the GNU. “Gayton has to say what he’s saying because he’s in the GNU,” Hersov explained. “But he knows Cyril is isolated and a lame duck.”
Hersov argued that McKenzie is the only true conservative and libertarian in the government and urged conservative parties like the Patriotic Alliance, Freedom Front Plus, and the Inkatha Freedom Party to unite under a common movement, if not a new political party. “I’d want to call it ‘South Africa First,’” he mused.
U.S. sanctions: The coming crisis?
One of Hersov’s most urgent warnings was about the growing likelihood of U.S. sanctions against South Africa due to its foreign policy stance. He predicted severe consequences for the country’s economy, including frozen assets, restricted travel for certain politicians, and potentially devastating tariffs. “America is going to absolutely pull the plug on South Africa,” he asserted. “Sanctions, tariffs – they’re going to put people like Julius Malema on the terrorist list. It’s coming.”
Recalling the 1985 economic crisis that hastened the end of apartheid, Hersov warned that a similar collapse could be on the horizon. But, unlike the National Party government of the 1980s, which ultimately sought a rational political settlement, he believes the ANC simply does not care about the economic well-being of South Africans. “The ANC fat cats—Cyril and his gang—don’t actually care,” he said. “They don’t care that the vast majority of South Africans are unemployed, undereducated, poor, homeless, hopeless. The more people in this desperate situation, the more reliant they are on grants, and the more they vote for the ANC.”
Read more: BN Briefing: Cronje on US sanctions risk; Trump’s olive branch to Afrikaners; Neil de Beer; and more
The boiling frog and the ANC’s “long game”
Hersov and Hogg discussed the ANC’s long-term strategy, which Hersov argued is rooted in Soviet-style tactics. “This is the Soviet playbook: play the long game,” he explained. He suggested that the ANC has been deliberately boiling South Africans like frogs in a pot, slowly eroding economic freedoms while entrenching political power.
Despite this grim assessment, Hersov sees a looming external force as the only hope for breaking the deadlock: “America has had enough, and that’s going to create a dynamic. Never waste a good crisis.”
The flight of talent: “Trump’s offer is genius”
As discussions turned to emigration, Hersov agreed with Hogg that if former U.S. President Donald Trump follows through on his recent executive order offering skilled South Africans a pathway to U.S. citizenship, the country could face a devastating brain drain. “Any young Afrikaner would jump at the opportunity,” Hersov said. “The ANC doesn’t care. They actually deep down think, ‘Let all the whiteys disappear, we don’t care.’”
He praised Trump’s immigration approach as a “genius” move for the U.S., suggesting that Australia and New Zealand might soon follow suit. “If I was running a country that needed dynamism, like Ghana, I’d open the floodgates to South Africa. That country would boom,” he said.
Read more: De Beer: Implosion of race hate as SA hits tipping point after Trump’s “dynamite bomb”
Can South Africa be saved?
Looking ahead, Hersov painted two possible scenarios for South Africa’s next five years. The “best-case” scenario sees the country continuing its slow decline, with minimal economic growth and an exodus of talent. The “worst-case” scenario involves an economic collapse, with the rand plummeting and civil unrest erupting.
However, he struggled to identify a leader within the ANC capable of turning things around. “Give me one name of a reformer, one name of an inspirational individual in the current ANC cabinet that could stand up and hold the torch in the air and say, ‘Let us try the other direction.’” When pressed, he suggested Fikile Mbalula might have the popular support to attempt a radical shift, but admitted, “He’s not the smartest tool in the box.”
“A necessary crisis”
Despite his grim outlook, Hersov argued that the impending crisis may be necessary to force change. “I think this is precipitating a necessary crisis,” he said. “The pot’s boiling now, and we are the frogs.” He called on South Africans to recognize the ANC for what it is—“a cynical, evil organization”—and to push for real change.
With the ANC’s failures becoming more glaring, an emboldened opposition, and mounting international pressure, South Africa stands at a crossroads. Whether the country can pivot towards real economic reform or continues its downward spiral remains to be seen. One thing is certain: voices like Hersov’s will continue to challenge the status quo, regardless of the backlash.
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