Rob Hersov: Message of thanks to Alec and the BizNews tribe

Key topics:

• Rob Hersov announces a break due to burnout from political activism.

• Deep frustration over ANC corruption, economic decline, and public apathy.

• Plans to return recharged; will still engage internationally and at BizNews events.

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By Rob Hersov

Dear Alec and the Tribe,

Thank you for your friendship and support on my (accidental, as it began) journey of political commentary and capitalist activism.

As I stated, rather abruptly, at the end of our Tuesday BizNews show, I need a break as I am burned out. It has been almost four years now and, while I don’t regret it at all, and am proud of moving the needle, my family is taking strain.

I have been waking up every morning thinking of what this beautiful country could and should be, and what the ANC has done over 30 years to set us back, and I start the day angry.

And the minute I read the news and see reports that the ANC and its cronies and cadres have done something else to break our economy or weaken our democracy, capture our judiciary, or that the ANC has doubled down with another race-based or anti-growth policy, my blood boils. The ANC breaks and steals, breaks and steals...........and it never seems to end.

Then I get messages and calls from people asking for money, asking for help, or asking me to call out more ANC corruption or evil. Not to mention the brave whistle-blowers that want to reveal more ANC corruption and desperately need protection. I seem to be the first and last port of call - or at least that is how it feels to me. Every day.

During the day I want to go public and start shouting, at the top of my voice, “I won’t take this anymore!” Or go to Pretoria and tell Cyril what I think of him to his face. And you all know what that would be.

And all this anger and frustration seems to no avail. We don’t seem to be moving forward.

The only thing that has kept me going are the messages from the BizNews Tribe, and the average South African walking up to me on the street and thanking me for "giving them a voice".

Corporate South Africa remains silent, believing what Cyril says, and defending their declining vested interests. Legacy media and business leaders treat Cyril like a hero. The “opposition “ are polite and respectful. The BEE crowd are still slurping at the trough and covering their tracks with the lie that it is "transformation". The GNU is going nowhere fast. The Gogo's still support the ANC despite all the evidence to the contrary. Despite the SRF polls placing the ANC down and the DA up, nothing seems to be changing for the good.

Unemployment is sky high, we still have load shedding, economic growth is stagnant, and the brain drain continues.

Read more:

When my beloved wife first encountered loadshedding she slammed her newspaper on the ground and said “what the hell is wrong with South Africans? Anywhere else the people would hit the streets in protest.” I feel the same way - South Africans seem to have PTSD, and we are sleepwalking into the abyss.

And then all the nasty comments, threats, deplatforming, and those-who-once-were-friends turning their backs, and I feel like punching back. I have come close to doing so.

So, I need to take a break. And focus on my family, finances, fitness, and my remaining friends.

I will still appear on some of the international podcasters as the world needs to know what is going on in our beloved country, and to make sure the international audience know that Nelson Mandela's legacy has ended - the ANC have destroyed that. And I will be at the BizNews September Investment Conference in Hermanus to do the Investment Wrap Up. I wouldn’t miss that!

But I am going quiet here in South Africa (other than doing some Dave Doubell colab cartoons, and a Voetsek ANC song or two using ai), for the medium term.

See you on the other side, Alec and dear tribesmen and friends, and my wife Katie thanks you for giving me back to her.

I will be back, sometime, rested and with my superpowers fully charged.