Rob Hersov’s ‘swansong’ - His US podcast roadshow; Liam joining PA; Abedian’s world-class assessment

South Africa’s famous Capitalist Activist Rob Hersov is determined to go out with a bang. In his fortnightly chat with BizNews editor Alec Hogg before announcing his retirement from the public spotlight, Hersov sheds light on the reasons for last month’s roadshow on the US mega-podcast circuit; and throws bouquets and brickbats with some abandon..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.South Africa’s most outspoken capitalist activist, Rob Hersov, is taking a break from public commentary - but not before unleashing one of his most blistering critiques of the ruling party, the political status quo, and the global indifference to South Africa’s decline.In a fiery and impassioned conversation with BizNews founder Alec Hogg, Hersov reflected on his recent whirlwind “media roadshow” in the United States, where he appeared on major platforms including Dave Rubin, Patrick Bet-David, Lara Logan, and even caught the attention of Elon Musk. The international spotlight, he says, is now firmly on South Africa’s unraveling.The US media tour: “The world is watching”What began as an impromptu pitch at the ARC conference in London quickly snowballed into a global campaign to put South Africa’s reality on the map. Hersov personally approached high-profile commentators like Jordan Peterson and Dave Rubin, insisting South Africa’s crisis demanded global attention.“When Elon Musk retweeted my Dave Rubin interview to 57 million people, it put me - and South Africa - on the map,” he said. The reaction was immediate. Bookings flooded in from conservative and centrist American media. “They all wanted to know: what the hell is happening in South Africa?”Hersov argues that the ruling ANC has long evaded accountability, protected by a complicit local media. But with international pressure mounting - helped along by a potential U.S. sanctions bill targeting South African political figures - Hersov believes the ANC’s free pass may be over. “They’ve gotten away with murder for 30 years. That era is ending.”ANC “breaking and stealing”Hersov did not mince words when asked about the state of South Africa under the ANC. “They don’t care about foreign investment. They don’t care about growth. They just want to break and steal,” he said.From BEE and expropriation without compensation (EWC) to the government’s mining charter, Hersov paints a grim picture: stagnation, incompetence, and ideological ruin. “We are stagnating into hell,” he declared. “The GNU [Government of National Unity] is going sideways. The economy is falling apart. What’s the point?”His frustration is underscored by the ANC’s recent doubling down on racialized policies and economic centralization, while unemployment, crime, and state failure spiral. “The ANC doesn’t even know how to grow the economy,” he said. “They form committees. They form commissions. They do nothing.”The National dialogue: A R700 million “talk shop”The final straw for Hersov appears to be the so-called “National Dialogue,” President Cyril Ramaphosa’s latest initiative to bring together “eminent persons” to address the country’s challenges.“It’s a pathetic group of people, going to achieve nothing and waste R700 million,” Hersov said. “We already know what the problems are: unemployment, crime, no service delivery, ANC corruption. We already know the solutions: privatize state enterprises, deregulate, deracialize the economy.”He called on figures like rugby legend Siya Kolisi, who has been roped into the initiative, to simply repeat the phrase “economic growth” at every meeting. “Nothing else matters,” he said. “The rest is just noise.”On Trump, TikTok, and Colored communitiesHersov dismissed polling that suggested former U.S. President Donald Trump is deeply unpopular among black and coloured South Africans. “I don’t believe it. Everyone I engage with in the coloured community is pro-Trump,” he claimed. “South Africa is 88% Christian. Trump is the leader of the Judeo-Christian world. Do the math.”He also challenged critics like podcaster Penuel Kunene, accusing them of intellectual cowardice. “They said there’s no genocide of farmers, and I agreed to say that publicly - but only if they would denounce Julius Malema and ‘Kill the Boer’ songs. They refused. That tells you everything.”The Patriotic Alliance and political realignmentThe recent defection of young DA star Liam Jacobs to Gayton McKenzie’s Patriotic Alliance is, to Hersov, a signal of things to come. “The DA and PA need to come together. Their manifestos are 70% aligned. The real threat to the DA is the PA in the Western Cape - not the ANC or MK,” he argued.He praised McKenzie’s willingness to recruit talent across party lines. “Gayton told me: ‘I’ll choose the best people in South Africa for government roles, not just from my party.’ That’s what real leadership looks like.”The Iran question and global alliancesTurning global, Hersov praised BizNews contributor Dr. Iraj Abedian for his “world-class” analysis of Iran and called on the U.S. and Israel to pursue regime change. “Free Persia,” he said. “That’s the battle we should be fighting - not defending ANC proxies like Naledi Pandor or Ronald Lamola.”Taking a break, not giving upDespite his harsh assessments, Hersov insists he’s not giving up on South Africa. But he’s had enough of speaking into the void. “I’m taking a break from public speaking,” he said. “I’m tired of being repetitive. Others need to stand up now.”In a country caught between frustration and inertia, Hersov’s voice remains polarising - but undeniably catalytic. Whether you agree with him or not, one thing is certain: when Rob Hersov speaks, people listen.

Rob Hersov’s ‘swansong’ - His US podcast roadshow; Liam joining PA; Abedian’s world-class assessment

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