Corné Mulder: “Predictable, avoidable catastrophe” - Cyril’s GNU partner not invited to Washington

Freedom Front Plus leader Corné Mulder is breathing fire in this interview where he laments the “catastrophe” inflicted on South Africans in the Oval Office this week. Mulder says Trump asked the right questions to which the SA delegation has no answers because of wilful ignorance or outright denial. Attempts to deflect Trump’s criticism, he says, portrayed a picture of South Africa being a criminal-infested economic wasteland. Mulder spoke to BizNews editor Alec Hogg..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.The auditorium doors will open for BNIC#2 on 10 September 2025 in Hermanus. For more information and tickets, click here..Watch here:.Listen here:.BizNews Reporter.In an extraordinary and highly publicised Oval Office encounter, US President Donald Trump confronted South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa with a stark portrayal of the country’s spiraling violence and socio-political dysfunction. Intended as a diplomatic engagement, the meeting devolved into what many described as a political ambush—though Freedom Front Plus leader Corné Mulder says otherwise.“You can’t call it an ambush if you’ve got the facts on your side,” Mulder told BizNews editor Alec Hogg in a wide-ranging interview. “The delegation should have been prepared to say: ‘Mr. Trump, you are misinformed, and here’s why.’ But they weren’t, because the facts speak for themselves - and they’re damning.”Singing from the same hymn sheetMulder’s absence from the high-stakes meeting raised eyebrows, especially since his party represents a significant segment of the Afrikaner community. But his decision was intentional. “Had I been invited, I would have declined,” he said. “The delegation was expected to present a sanitized version of reality - to say that everything is under control. I could not, in good conscience, participate in that charade.”Instead, Ramaphosa brought along billionaire Johann Rupert and sports figures like Ratif Khursin to serve as Afrikaner representatives - a move Mulder described as baffling and dangerous. “Bringing in businesspeople and golfers to speak on political and security issues? That’s like sending me to advise on Olympic training. You’re setting yourself up for failure.”A country exposedFor Mulder, the spectacle in the Oval Office wasn’t a failure of diplomacy - it was a revelation. “South Africa was exposed before the world as a country grappling with deep violence, from the townships to the farmlands,” he said. “And the worst part? The delegation admitted it.”Instead of mounting a robust defense, members of the South African team conceded to Trump’s portrayal of a violent, divided nation - confirming long-held concerns among critics. “That isn’t strategy; that’s capitulation,” said Mulder.Even more galling, according to Mulder, is Ramaphosa’s silence over the controversial chant “Kill the Boer, kill the farmer.” “He’s never denounced it. The ANC prefers to stay quiet, and silence is complicity,” Mulder said, drawing a provocative parallel: “If someone in Germany started singing Nazi-era songs today, they’d be jailed. Yet here, we dismiss it as ‘heritage.’”The United States’ five non-negotiablesMulder disclosed that the Trump administration has laid down five “non-negotiable” conditions for improved relations with South Africa:End expropriation without compensation, and ensure any land redistribution favours private individuals - not the state.Abolish race-based economic policies, including Black Economic Empowerment (BEE).Guarantee security for farming communities and minority groups.Normalize diplomatic ties with Israel and stop pursuing cases against it at the International Court of Justice.Restore effective law and order, including devolving policing powers to capable provinces like the Western Cape.“These are not unreasonable,” said Mulder. “But if the ANC refuses to engage, then yes - sanctions and trade penalties are coming. AGOA is likely dead. The Americans are ready to offer a better deal, but only if South Africa cleans house.”.Read more:.BN Briefing - Cyril's take: President Trump will attend G20 in SA, our meeting was a great success.GNU at a crossroadsThese external pressures coincide with growing internal dysfunction in the Government of National Unity (GNU). According to Mulder, not a single piece of legislation has been passed since the GNU’s formation. “We’re meant to be charting a new course, yet all we’ve done is approve a budget -and that, too, was fraught,” he said.The Freedom Front Plus is now reconsidering its participation. “If this is just a ploy to rubber-stamp ANC policy, we’re out,” Mulder warned. “Our mandate is to protect minorities, promote growth, and ensure safety. If we’re not able to do that, we’re being used - and we won’t be used.”Kicking the can, but off a cliffSome within the ANC reportedly believe they can stall for time until Trump leaves office. Mulder scoffs at the notion: “They may think they can wait him out, but they’ll be the only ones walking that road. South Africa doesn’t have the luxury of delay. Every day we waste pushes more people into poverty and chaos.”Next week, Mulder will ask President Ramaphosa directly: What new economic policies have been developed since the GNU was formed? “We have the highest unemployment rate in the democratic world. If the answer is ‘none,’ then what’s the point?”The ordinary South African is not the enemyMulder dismisses the idea that ANC voters support these radical policies. “The average South African - black, white, coloured, Indian - they want jobs, safety, and a future for their kids. They’re not chanting slogans or defending outdated ideologies.”In his view, South Africa needs to move away from fear-driven politics. “Forget about the MKs and EFFs. Let’s speak to the people. Let’s build policy for the hearts and minds, not just the headlines.”A final shot across the bowAs Mulder concluded, “Trump didn’t ambush us - he gave us a warning. He’s offering help, but he’s demanding accountability. That’s not an enemy; that’s an opportunity. We should take it.”If South Africa refuses to reckon with its internal failures and persists in its ideological entrenchment, Mulder warns the consequences will be severe -not just diplomatically, but existentially.“We should be Africa’s locomotive. Right now, we’re barely clinging to the rails.”

Corné Mulder: “Predictable, avoidable catastrophe” - Cyril’s GNU partner not invited to Washington

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