Hersov from the USA: Team Trump preparing a snotklap for Cyril

Capitalist activist Rob Hersov was on the same Washington-bound plane as some of the SA delegation heading for tomorrow’s Oval Office meeting. In this riveting interview with BizNews editor Alec Hogg he shares what insiders tell him about the hot reception American leadership is preparing for Cyril Ramaphosa..Sign up for your early morning brew of the BizNews Insider to keep you up to speed with the content that matters. The newsletter will land in your inbox at 5:30am weekdays. Register here.Support South Africa’s bastion of independent journalism, offering balanced insights on investments, business, and the political economy, by joining BizNews Premium. Register here.If you prefer WhatsApp for updates, sign up to the BizNews channel here..Watch here.Listen here.BizNews Reporter.Rob Hersov: Why this week could define South Africa’s futureSouth African businessman and outspoken political commentator Rob Hersov has warned that President Cyril Ramaphosa’s visit to the United States this week could result in either a major diplomatic breakthrough or a severe geopolitical setback for South Africa. Speaking to Alec Hogg on BizNews, Hersov painted a stark picture of what’s at stake when Ramaphosa faces US President Donald Trump amid rising tensions between the two countries.Hersov, speaking from Miami at 4am local time, said he had travelled from Cape Town to Washington DC, where he encountered Democratic Alliance leader John Steenhuisen en route. Although the two men exchanged pleasantries, Hersov said they aren’t exactly political allies, and he speculated that Steenhuisen had been “dragged in” as the GNU’s Minister of Agriculture to help soften the message for the Trump administration regarding farm attacks and land reform.But such efforts, Hersov warned, may be in vain.“I think they're ready to do a Zelensky times ten on Cyril,” Hersov said, referencing the frosty and highly publicised encounter between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. “Marco Rubio is the attack dog and he's going to come swinging... It isn't going to be pretty.”According to Hersov, the Americans are deeply dissatisfied with South Africa’s recent diplomatic alignments and domestic policies. He noted that the US had already taken the unusual step of kicking out South African diplomats, ignoring the upcoming G20 in Johannesburg, and treating Ramaphosa’s arrival in Washington with calculated indifference.“Donald Trump is not impressed,” Hersov said. “He’s not going to be appeased. He’s not going to be lied to.”Hersov listed a series of urgent actions he believes the Trump administration may demand: the repeal of expropriation without compensation (EWC), abandonment of Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) policies, and withdrawal of South Africa’s ICJ case against Israel.“If I were Trump,” Hersov added, “I would forbid American companies from obeying BEE laws and force the issue using trade and investment leverage.”He argued that the ANC’s track record over the last 30 years has left it with no credibility internationally, citing corruption, pro-authoritarian alliances, and the imposition of race-based economic policies. With South Africa’s economy faltering, Hersov said the country can no longer afford to alienate its most powerful trading partner.He also saw a potential upside: that the US may differentiate between the national government and the Western Cape, which is governed by the DA. Hersov called on Washington to “bless the Western Cape” and work directly with DA-run areas, civic organisations like AfriForum and the Free Market Foundation, and minority communities.He proposed moving the US embassy from Pretoria to Cape Town and appointing a special envoy to protect minorities in South Africa. These ideas, he claimed, were not far-fetched and were already being discussed among key decision-makers in the US.“The chances of this happening are higher than 50%,” Hersov claimed, citing his private conversations with high-level US and South African political actors.Regarding business tycoon Patrice Motsepe, Hersov was sceptical of speculation that he might be South Africa’s next president. While describing Motsepe as “compassionate and decent,” he questioned whether he had the strength or resolve to challenge entrenched ANC interests.“Just because he's a billionaire doesn’t mean he has the spine,” Hersov said.Ultimately, Hersov believes the ANC is crumbling and that international pressure is now the only realistic hope for reform. He doesn’t hold out much faith in the GNU, arguing that real change will require the ANC to abandon its ideological baggage.“This is a crucial moment,” Hersov concluded. “Cyril needs to kiss the ring this week. If he doesn’t, South Africa will pay the price.”

Hersov from the USA: Team Trump preparing a snotklap for Cyril

Related Stories