The Sunday Show: Brad Steyn - Rogues, Rands & Ramaphosa: SA’s collapse in real time

In the latest Sunday Show, Chris Steyn talks to Security Expert Brad Steyn about another tumultuous week in South African politics: He slams the “dangerous deflection” used by President Cyril Ramaphosa in his handling of the US export tariff crisis and a Presidency “more concerned with BRICS handshakes than backbone diplomacy”. Steyn also warns of dirty tricks to undermine the whistleblowing KZN General “Lucky” Mkhwanazi. “There is a rogue SAPS investigation underway, meaning the cover-up is beginning. The goal is to undermine reformers like Mkhwanazi before their testimony even sees daylight. This is incredibly concerning because the same tactics used in SAPS purges, intelligence shutdowns and factional suppressions happened under the Zuma administration. So it comes straight out of this ANC playbook.” As for the opulent lifestyle of Deputy President Paul Mashatile, Steyn says: “… insiders… now fear that his 2027 presidential bid is toxic and triggering a full potential ANC leadership collapse”. Steyn further warns of “foreign capture” saying: “…we’re not just dealing with ANC incompetence, we're dealing with foreign intelligence infiltration. Right here… Iranian agents, Russian operatives and other foreign intelligence entities are being allowed to operate freely under the blind eye…”.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:.Edited transcript of the interview.Chris Steyn (00:03.29)Welcome to another Sunday Show with me, Chris Steyn. Unfortunately, Neil De Beer is too ill to be with us today. However, his old comrade, security expert, Brad Steyn is with us again. Brad is of course, the author of Undercover with Mandela's Spies. And for those of you who don't know his history with Neil, I suggest you listen to the audiobook that is out now. And before we start, just for the record, Brad and I are not related by blood or any other means. So welcome, Brad. Bradley "Hawk" Steyn (00:43.16)Well, Chris, thank you very much and thank you to your viewers and thank you for having me back on. We are keeping my brother and our fellow South African patriot, Neil…to be here in our prayers. And I just thank you for giving me this opportunity to continue his activism that he's been working on for so many years. Chris Steyn (01:21.092)You're welcome, Brad. May we start with President Cyril Ramaphosa's handling of the tariff crisis? Bradley "Hawk" Steyn (01:29.804)Yeah, Chris, I'll be very honest with you, I'm angry. And if you South African watching this, you know, you watching what's playing out across the tickers and our headlines in the news in South Africa, you should be too. And you know, it's up to people like us to go and make a change. So let's go and do this and let's go and change this damn country that's in such a mess. So Chris, before we dig into the rogue police scandal and the so-called independent inquiry, let's zoom out for a second and let's have a look at the geopolitical crisis that's going on in our country and this what I call Cap in Hand diplomacy that we see being played out with the Ramaphosa, you know. And because of our huge success of the show last week, you know, I've had some solid intel come across my desk, some solicited, some not solicited from whistleblowers. Bradley "Hawk" Steyn (03:00.782)And plenty from the revelations and the fall-out from the last week's bombshell episode where I stood in for Neil. And here's the kicker. This week, President Ramaphosa, should I say, Ramaphosa, stood outside the Union buildings and pulled a classic diplomatic sleight of hands. He claimed that DIRCO has proposed a few things to counter the pressures from the Trump administration and the Trump-era tariffs by trying to frame South Africa as just another victim of POTUS, the president of the United States global trade. But let's call a spade a spade and what it is. And it's a deflection, a dangerous one, I might add, and a tactic we've seen from skollies like Ramaphosa before. And even Trumps used them and even Putin's used them. But here's the facts, because the truth matters. And this past week there was confirmation, a recent US State Department visit, is that they are concerned that South Africa's biggest trade problem isn't tariffs. Finally, it's crime. They've seen, they've been here. Bradley "Hawk" Steyn (04:51.37)It's the collapsing of our infrastructure, the capturing of our institutions, and a Presidency that's more concerned with BRICS handshakes than backbone diplomacy. So here we have a fantastic opportunity. Instead of Minister Lamola walking into DC with confidence in saying, hey, you know what? We've got your much needed iron ore in South Africa, your manganese, your citrus, your table grapes. Let's build something real. Let's start a good relationship here where we all can benefit. But what does this Ramaphosa administration do? Like we saw on a recent trip, when President Ramaphosa went to the UN in the United States and went, New York, I can smell the… I can smell the money here. Please invest in South Africa, cap in hand. Chris, I'm sorry, but optics like that are...not helpful when we are going into a situation where we are negotiating because we have what people need….This Cap in Hand, Poor African spin again, it's embarrassing. We have a lot to offer in this country. And even worse, Bradley "Hawk" Steyn (06:48.918)…just this very past week, he goes and borrwows billions of Euros from Europe, while our farmers are hijacked, our roads crumble, and containers sit at the ports jam-packed with produce rotting. Bradley "Hawk" Steyn (07:16.884)Yeah, Chris, I'm telling you. But here's the big issue that I have with us. Who pays for this line of credit? Bradley "Hawk" Steyn (07:34.37)The handful of taxpayers that we have in our country, and who suffers the most? Our most vulnerable citizens, which I might add, we have the biggest youth unemployment rate in the world. And now he's going to put that on top of our people and the future of our youth that they have to sit with his debt while he, the billionaire South African president that's made his money on the backs of mine workers when he was a mine union worker, and he sits in his laney house in Fresnay. Bradley "Hawk" Steyn (08:27.446)And then there's the punchline. His Department of Trade and Industry boss, Parks Tau, turns around and goes and blames the Democratic Alliance for the souring of US relations. What a bunch of tools. Seriously, come on. That's like setting your own house on fire and blaming your neighbour for calling the fire brigade. Bradley "Hawk" Steyn (09:02.282)South Africa doesn't need blame merchants here, right? We need negotiators, not posers. Look, I was fortunate enough when AGOA happened a few years ago to spend a few days speaking to some of the most fascinating people in our country and the US delegation that came over. And I was fortunate, purely by coincidence, that I bumped into the head of the delegation from the State Department -and they want to invest in South Africa because they believe in the people of Mzanzi. They believe in the spirit of our people and they love our people, but they just don't believe in the government's instability. So but here we go. So every time this government is caught with its pants around its ankles doing something it shouldn't be doing. Bradley "Hawk" Steyn (10:15.348)It's corruption critics that are ruining our country. Well, you want positivity? How about we positively, in a positive way, start fixing things? Chris, I recently contributed to the IRMSA 2025-2026. I think it's the 11th edition of South Africa's Risk Report. And that's exactly what I said in that report. And then that's exactly what I contributed to. And I said, this is a major threat to food and geopolitical security in our nation. This is the domino effect fall-out..Read more:.BN Briefing: Trump snubs SA G20; Dawie Roodt on SA’s 30% Tariffs expected to hit tomorrow; R800m tender scandal.Bradley "Hawk" Steyn (11:08.812)Don't take my word for it. I'm just informing. I encourage incredible citizens out there to go and have a look themselves and go and check it out for more insight. But I'm telling you this is how a Captured State manufactures amnesia so that we forget. Chris Steyn (11:41.188)Brad, let's move on to those inquiries into the allegations made by the KZN whistleblowing general. Bradley "Hawk" Steyn (11:51.358)You mean the rogue SAPS inquiries and the beginning of the cover up? It's amazing what this platform of BizNews has done. And I've seen it with my brother's shows in the past and him speaking truth to power. But here's the kicker, right? So this independent inquiry kicked off this week as we know. And the acting deputy chief justice… And he has a very capable team around him. And I'm so pleased to see that, you know, not like our cabinet reflects a, all of the...citizens of our country being involved in the democratic process, but well done. And credit's due where it's due. He's got, he's put a great team together. But unfortunately, this doesn't last very long and the kudos go straight out the window and they are short lived because we all, also got some actionable intelligence from my community this week that this office of this Presidency is up to no good again. The same… game he's playing, just like he did when he illegally stole his CR17 NEC ANC nomination. He's up to shady dealings. Yeah, Mzanzi, you're hearing it here at BizNews First from us. because we speak truth to power, because we're God-forsaken. Bradley "Hawk" Steyn (13:49.976) There is a rogue SAPS investigation underway, meaning the cover-up is beginning. Two inquiries have been signed off by Ramaphosa. Poser is a poser. One led by the Deputy Chief Justice, and that's what we need, and that's what we want… Bradley "Hawk" Steyn (14:18.486)…unless it's going to be inked out in invisible ink down the road. But here's the thing, and here's the problem that we have. There's a second inquiry going on parallel - and it's an inquiry led by somebody with a very dubious background, dubious dealings, who makes a lot of money, a lot more money than a major general should make. And that's the Western Cape Police boss… So this dual investigation went into motion before the Parliamentary inquiry kicked off. And that's a major red flag South Africa, a major one. Look at the rude reality is the brave whistleblower and General Lucky Mkhwanazi's allegations are explosive and go all the way to the top, exposing State Capture and SAPS and our national security structures at the highest levels. Bradley "Hawk" Steyn (15:39.81)But what's the goal in doing a parallel investigation? Bradley "Hawk" Steyn (16:13.57)The goal is to undermine reformers like Mkhwanazi before their testimony even sees daylight. This is incredibly concerning because the same tactics used in SAPS purges, intelligence shutdowns and factional suppressions happened under the Zuma administration. So it comes straight out of this ANC playbook. And here's the thing, and this comes from very, very good sources. And I'm not going to sit here and just shoot my mouth off and talk nonsense because it's risky and it's dangerous and it's also irresponsible and ethically not okay to do that. But inside SAPS, they call this, a phrase? He has now a mandate for an expected outcome. So they know what the outcome is already. It's Tradecraft 101. And if you want to bury evidence, launch a controlled inquiry first, then parade the corpse of the truth through Parliament… Look here, Chris, the citizens can make up their own mind here. They clever. Our people are clever. But our people have been waiting around for too long for, like I've said before, government to step up and government to do the right thing. Bradley "Hawk" Steyn (18:08.93)But let's answer this question, is this a legal strategy or psych ops run by the suspended Minister Senzo Mchunu, who by the way is on full pay, but now he's pulling strings behind the scenes like he did during CR17 when they stole the NEC nomination. So Chris, this isn't time wasting. It's precision narrative management. Like I said last week's show, crisis management is in full blown operation. That's why it took Ramaphoser as long as he did to make his statement, et cetera, because he was gathering all his ducks. Bradley "Hawk" Steyn (19:14.558)So Chris, the delay, it's a precision narrative like I've said, it's to delay, dilute and discredit, but let's hope Parliament keeps these so-called untouchables accountable, because it can't just be another inquiry written in spy invisible ink that will just disappear. So while all this skull and duggery is going on behind closed doors, here's something else that's not being reported enough, which is very concerning. And I spoke about this the last time you had me on last week, and that’s the foreign capture in our country. Chris. Bradley "Hawk" Steyn (20:14.242)This might be a shock to some of our viewers, but we're not just dealing with ANC incompetence, we're dealing with foreign intelligence infiltration. Right here… Iranian agents, Russian operatives and other foreign intelligence entities are being allowed to operate freely under the blind eye….of certain ANC aligned officials and even these other political parties are giving these people support, you know, whether it's the building, the former town hall in Pretoria, there's talk about the Iranians taking it over and doing a cultural centre. There's a lot of people, ex government officials that are running lobby groups out of Pretoria and that are just doing it to enrich themselves and just to make money. So our ports, our intelligence cables, our data servers, are they compromised too? And here's the real kicker and the real kicker, Chris. The situation is so dire in our country that the bloody American government is now paying Metro Police and Emergency Services in Pretoria. Otherwise it wouldn't function and it wouldn't work. That's right. American taxpayers are doing what our own government won't do. Think about that for a second. Our own leadership is so captured, so hollowed out, so busy doing side deals with Iran and Russia that they've outsourced public safety… Bradley "Hawk" Steyn (22:26.474)…our public safety to keep our most vulnerable people safe - and they expect the American Embassy to pay for it. And these are the same, very same officials that are wagging their fingers like this, calling American the Colonial puppet power master, while they stand at the same time in back halls and doing whispering back…hallway deals with Moscow and Tehran in the shadows? Give me a break. People are taking these government people and these elected officials, even ActionSA, all these different political parties on the ground are now busy doing deals with these people. This isn't being dealt with where it needs to be dealt with at a State level and not out of the Presidency where he's running his intelligence office out of..Read more:.Tito Mboweni: Want to get a big mining deal in SA? First, call Jeff Radebe.Bradley "Hawk" Steyn (23:39.586)This needs to be run at a state level. National security is a serious thing and it can't be sold and bartered with lucky packets. So let us sink in. If that isn't a signal of the collapse of our sovereignty, then what is? Chris Steyn (24:04.442)Brad, let us talk about the opulent lifestyle of Deputy President Paul Mashatile. Bradley "Hawk" Steyn (24:17.886)Yo, I love that song, Panzulas for Life. Seriously, Chris, Paul Mashatile, Swagger Scandal 2027 Presidency or PR Spin. And you know, we discovered that again last week, but here we are again. This man is walking from front page headline to front page headline. And even when, you know, my brother was here talking about that same thing, he seems to always be in the headline. And then he has the audacity to turn around and say, but can't a black man enjoy the fruits of this country too? Bradley "Hawk" Steyn (25:08.758)He's defending his millionaire lifestyle with Constantia, mansions, designer brands, VIP motorcades, while grandmother's in his own provinces, the most vulnerable of our people, the old gogos, they sit there with no running water, no working SASSA cards. Look here, a 60 million rands worth of a new laney house in Constantia has been revealed by investigative reporters this week and hidden, the ownership hidden in trusts through family members. So explain to me, how can a public servant, a civil servant, and by the word servant, it's a not a derogatory word, it's a word where you serve our people and we serve our country and we serve our government. But you know, why is this public servant...able to afford to buy something as opulent as the 60 million rand house. I think it's something like 3.5 million dollars. Bradley "Hawk" Steyn (26:44.148)And the bigger question is, so why Cape Town and why not Pretoria or Waterkloof? That's right. I remember now because those cities aren't run as well as Cape Town is. So, know, while his allies, also tied to diamonds, there's diamond fraudster, Grootbek Liebenberg, a scammer that's under the Hawkes investigation for diamond necklaces? You know, it's deplorable. And then he comes out in the press and says, I don't really know where it came from, this and that and all the rest. Here's the thing, the NEC conference is happening as we speak today in Germiston, Gauteng. And insiders are now fear that his 2027 presidential bid is toxic and triggering a full potential ANC leadership collapse. Bradley "Hawk" Steyn (28:07.754)And you know there's lifestyle links that there's a lot of fractions between him and Fikile, old Frikkadel Fikile being in the two different camps. Bradley "Hawk" Steyn (28:25.012)My question is, is this lifestyle and these links maybe, you know, factional landmines and feeding the press and…But, you know, this is either a hit job or just the stink that follows Paul Mashatile around is just too foul to ignore. And I get it. Politics is a dirty game and we all know that. But the succession battle for the ANC leadership is even dirtier. Yeah, we know that. We've seen CR17. I don't need to go on about it. Google it and you'll see. But Chris, as somebody who's done crisis management and PR and worked with PR people in my security capacity and I've worked for some of the biggest Hollywood stars, hip hop stars, Rock and Roll royalty, there's an old saying, there's no such thing as bad press. And Paul Mashatile knows this as well, because in today's Black Diamond culture where…champagne and designer bags and European jets are signs of success. Yes, you've made it. You know, we've come from rags to riches. We've come from the dusty streets of the townships. It's not success. A lot of our youth are hypnotised. Bradley "Hawk" Steyn (30:07.982)And like I've said, our most vulnerable people are suffering the most. I don't know if our viewers have friends or I'm sure some of these viewers that we do have on on BizNews here have, do come from townships and informal settlements, et cetera. I don't know if...you've actually seen how millions of displaced people that are living below the poverty line live today in fear, constant fear. Millions of people. I have friends here in Mamelodi. I have friends here in Cape Town, rather in Khayelitsa. You know, because… I don't, you know, I want to see what's going on there since I came back from America. And our people are so vulnerable and they don't, and they live in such threat. And these ministers are just gorging on the orchard while the rest of our citizens are just left. And for what? So they can flex on Instagram. Yeah, Mashatile may ask, why are people always pointing fingers at him? That's my answer, Chris, because the evidence follows you like dog shit on your shoe and it stinks. So no matter how expensive your Louis Vuitton loafers are, the smell is following you. So yeah, we must ask ourselves this question, Chris, is somebody trying to assassinate his legacy? Not physically, but his legacy of getting in. Bradley "Hawk" Steyn (32:19.736)There's a very good possibility that is the case. Chris, sorry, I'll wrap up now. But I just want to close this segment on Mashatile, just saying and challenge our viewers. If this man is the next one in line to lead our country, shouldn't we be asking the tougher question now? These questions that we talk about now, not… Bradley "Hawk" Steyn (32:49.42)We need to ask them now, not after the inauguration. And we in South Africa, we are clever. We know what's going on, but we just need to come together as patriots so that we can get ahead of this and do our own crisis management as patriots. Chris Steyn (33:09.07)Meanwhile, Brad, what do you think South Africa needs most right now? Bradley "Hawk" Steyn (33:15.286)It's a loaded question, Chris. you know, like I've said, like I just said, you know, my favourite thing about this country is it's not about our DNA. It's about RSA. And it's so true…Yes. I love this country and I love our people. But Chris, you know, I've seen how operations get buried. We've seen our heros get crushed like André Lincoln. We would have never had a democratic South Africa if André Lincoln didn't thwart the assassination of Madiba. It would have been a full blown civil war. So we've seen how inquiries are used as theatre to protect the guilty. But it doesn't have to be this way. And here's what we truly need. And I'm putting this out not just as a critic, but somebody who…like my brother took the guts to walk away from our beloved ANC that we both served for so long and try and do something because it's in his calling, it's his patriotic duty. Yes, I think we need to put our public first, always. No more secret inquiries on the side to pull a move to do your crisis management. Parliamentary commissions must take the lead. Bradley "Hawk" Steyn (35:10.242)Whistleblowers need full protection under the Constitution. We need trade policies and negotiations with a backbone. Somebody who knows how to negotiate and do business, who doesn't go there, take their hat off and say, please, please, we need .… And what a bunch of nonsense. We have things in this country, remember. The narrative in this country is Africa is rich with resources. Let's use that to our advantage when we go and negotiate. We don't need a bag. What the hell, it's embarrassing. South Africa has rare minerals, like I've said, manganese, iron ore. So let's walk into Washington and Brussels and BRICS, if they have to do BRICS or DC and say...here's what we have to offer. Let's do some great business together. Number three, Independent Civilian Policing aAuthority. SAPS can't investigate SAPS anymore. We know what happens. Those get pushed in front of the bus and they get railroaded. We need a civilian led watchdog with teeth. including prosecution of powers. If we can't police the police, then who are we? Number four, economic diplomacy, not party propaganda. DIRCO must serve the people, not the political agenda of the ANC. You need to be apolitical in your standing. Bradley "Hawk" Steyn (37:13.066)And South Africa needs to change that narrative. And no more using anti-West, anti-Trump spin cover, if anything. What's Trump? And I'm not a big fan, And I've known this man on and off for years. I've met him several times through my security work. And...he's brash and he's not my cup of tea, but you know what? He's got balls, big balls, not like Ramaphosa's little green peas. And what he's doing in the United States, in my opinion, because it's relatively well as a democracy as it is, but that's exactly what we need here in South Africa. That hardcore approach to fixing things, that's really what we need here. So, and then regarding our foreign policy, we must be pragmatic, values driven, and in our national interests, not China and Russia, that we have different agendas and they're Socialist ideals. And I'm all about making sure that we put our people first and take care of our people. And finally, number five, South Africa must demand better. This isn't about the ANC versus the DA or Zuma versus Cyril. It's about truth versus illusion. Bradley "Hawk" Steyn (39:09.172)It's people versus corruption. So to every South African watching, all our forefathers and our ancestors are turning in their graves, And you're not paranoid out there and you are not powerless out there, but you are being lied to. And the great thing in South Africa I see today is that people have had enough and they're finally smelling the coffee. And unless we start naming and shaming and changing it, another fake inquiry, and like I said, that old spy invisible ink is going to happen. And I'll wrap up, Chris, but we've covered a lot today, but it's not enough just to talk… It's now about action. And I encourage your viewers, Chris, on this platform. This isn't just a microphone. It's a movement. What Niel Beer started is a movement in this show. So please, folks, we've had a lot of good comments from you, but let us know, should whistleblows be protected or punished? Should Ramaphosa stand up to Trump, POTUS, President of the United States, or just borrow more Euros? Is Paul Mashatile the next president or the next scandal waiting to happen? On a final note, Chris, not all news is doom and gloom. Bradley "Hawk" Steyn (41:01.074)And kudos where they are due again. This is the second kudos he gets here. But President Ramaphosa did something very proactive and he announced the commission of inquiry into the TRC prosecution failures and victim compensation delays. This is close to my heart because I witnessed the Strydom Square massacre. I've lived through the TRC. My very DNA in this country, I've seen violence, I've seen cruelty, and I've seen the horrible side of racial anger. But you know, this, and a lot of people will say here on this platform, the TRC not again. If your family is going to be killed and there's no compensation and those people haven't been brought to justice, then you are also going to be upset. This is good. This is finally going to help our country heal because now we need to hold the people that dropped the ball and knocked it on, accountable. Because our people and our citizens in this country deserve to heal. You want a positive message? Bradley "Hawk" Steyn (42:35.254)So…that it's not just doom and gloom. Fix the corruption and watch Mzansi Rise. Those people out there, this incredible nation of people, and watch us rise because enough is enough. I'm telling you, there's a tight change here. Thank you, Chris. Chris Steyn (42:58.043)Thank you. That was Brad Steyn, security expert and Neil De Beer’s old comrade. On BizNews with me, Chris Steyn. Thank you, Brad. Bradley "Hawk" Steyn (43:09.602)Thank you so much and God bless you guys and be safe out there. And put our country first, it's about patriotism.

The Sunday Show: Brad Steyn - Rogues, Rands & Ramaphosa: SA’s collapse in real time

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