{"id":22122,"date":"2025-10-07T10:22:20","date_gmt":"2025-10-07T10:22:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/egretnews.com\/?p=22122"},"modified":"2025-10-07T10:22:20","modified_gmt":"2025-10-07T10:22:20","slug":"is-there-any-hope-for-south-africa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/egretnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/10\/07\/is-there-any-hope-for-south-africa\/","title":{"rendered":"Is There Any Hope for South Africa?"},"content":{"rendered":"

South Africa<\/span> has regressed into an ideologically-driven socialist communist abyss of poverty, crime, corruption and systemic dysfunction at all levels: local, state and national all in 30 years since the end of Apartheid. <\/em>Once the leading economic power in all of Africa, South Africa<\/span> is now regarded as the most corrupt country on the continent. It resembles a typical “banana republic” in some ways little different from other failed or collapsing states in the region, particularly its northern neighbor of Zimbabwe\u00a0 a Marxist dictatorial hellhole.<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The result of draconian labour laws is that the official unemployment rate exceeds 33% (more than 8 million potential workers), while the rate for unemployed younger workers exceeds 60%. These figures consistently rate among the world’s highest and confirm for millions that they have little or no future prospects in their country of birth.<\/em><\/p>\n

As the deindustrialisation of Africa’s most industrialised country accelerates, the unemployment rate will increase accordingly and even more people, to survive, will become reliant on government grants. The centralized ANC state then has citizens exactly where they want them \u2013 under their control and dependent upon the government for daily living. In this way future votes are secured, leading to the perpetuation of the ANC — a typical seditious device to remain in power indefinitely, like other nations in Africa.<\/em><\/p>\n

Even the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), a radical far-leftist political party \u2013 that of “Kill the farmer, kill the Boer” fame \u2013 lament this economic catastrophe: “What we are witnessing is the destruction of the little industry South Africa has left, a collapse that will hollow out communities and deepen mass unemployment… The government cannot continue to wash its hands while South Africa’s industrial backbone is dismantled.”<\/em><\/p>\n

The irony of their complaint is seemingly lost on the EFF: it was their policies that significantly contributed to the economic demise and deindustrialisation of the country. The party’s leader, Julius Malema, calls for supporters to “cut the throat of whiteness” and “shoot the Boer,” while advocating land-grabs without compensation, particularly of white-owned farmland.<\/em><\/p>\n

The ANC’s statement of intent sadly reveals that they will not waver from their ideological stance despite threat of sanctions and punitive US trade tariffs. The spokesman for the Institute of Race Relations, John Endres, commented about the ANC: “The party misses no opportunity to reaffirm its commitment to the National Democratic Revolution, a programme designed to turn South Africa first into a socialist and then into a communist state.”<\/em><\/p>\n

“Instead of renewal, [the ANC] has chosen entrenchment. Instead of pragmatism, dogma. Instead of growth, redistribution without production. Instead of survival, an overdose of toxic ideology.” \u2013 Hermann Pretorius, political commentator, September 7, 2025.<\/em><\/p>\n

The ANC is reportedly trying to forge a “deal” with Trump, to enlist deeper US involvement in South Africa. Its future should be of serious concern to its citizens and the West.<\/em><\/p>\n

Located at the tip of southern Africa and at a strategic junction of trade routes, South Africa has regressed into an ideologically-driven socialist-communist abyss of poverty, crime, corruption and systemic dysfunction at all levels: local, state and national \u2013 all in 30 years since the end of Apartheid.<\/em><\/p>\n

Once the leading economic power in all of Africa, South Africa is now\u00a0regarded<\/a>\u00a0as the most corrupt country on the continent. It resembles a typical “banana republic” in some ways — little different from other failed or collapsing states in the region, particularly its northern neighbour of\u00a0Zimbabwe<\/a>\u00a0— a Marxist dictatorial hellhole.<\/em><\/p>\n

An independent body, the South African Institution of Civil Engineering, “ten years ago\u00a0rated<\/a>\u00a0South Africa’s infrastructure as C, and now it has deteriorated to a D rating. On its current path, the country is heading towards an E, meaning unfit for purpose.”<\/em><\/p>\n

As reporter Shaun Jacobs\u00a0notes<\/a>, “South Africa’s infrastructure is collapsing in front of everyone’s eyes.” The basis of any economy is infrastructure. It is what allows trade and workers to travel. With “unfit” infrastructure: roads, ports, airports, and bridges and so on, the economy will eventually fail.<\/em><\/p>\n

Even so, powered by its Marxist-themed\u00a0National Democratic Revolution<\/a>\u00a0(NDR) charter, the leading political party, the African National Congress (ANC), has been accelerating its collectivist program to control all aspects of the economy, whether public or private. While the private sector still has some freedoms, these rights diminish by the day.<\/em><\/p>\n

History indicates that the inevitable consequence of radical socialist-communist policies is economic collapse and social discord. This outcome should not be surprising when it is realized the ANC’s strategy is fully within the Marxist playbook:\u00a0res delenda est<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 everything must be destroyed, refabricated, and brought to fulfilment into a communist state, a new order for the nation.<\/em><\/p>\n

The demise of major private sector companies, most with a long history there, appears to be a direct result of nationalistic government policies coupled to\u00a0aggressive<\/a>\u00a0and ideologically-driven trade unions who, presumably, would rather see companies closed down than accept a lesser wage for their allegedly “oppressed<\/a>” workers.<\/em><\/p>\n

Unionized South African workers are among the best\u00a0paid<\/a>\u00a0in Africa, due to unions contending for above-inflation wage growth, ostensibly to narrow the long-term large inequality gap. At the same time, the ANC government has enacted detrimental labour laws that make it hard for companies to hire and fire. This has a dampening effect on hiring in the private sector and thus escalates unemployment.<\/em><\/p>\n

The result of draconian\u00a0labour<\/a>\u00a0laws is that the official unemployment rate\u00a0exceeds<\/a>\u00a033% (more than 8 million potential workers), while the rate for unemployed younger workers\u00a0exceeds<\/a>\u00a060%. These figures consistently rate among the world’s\u00a0highest<\/a>\u00a0and confirm for millions that they have little or no future prospects in their country of birth.<\/em><\/p>\n

In the past 25 years, more than 70,000 important companies entered liquidation with more than 2.8 million jobs\u00a0lost<\/a>\u00a0directly due to adverse government policies.\u00a0According<\/a>\u00a0to Haroon Bhorat, director of the Development Policy Research Unit at the University of Cape Town, these figures are an “underlying indicator of de-industrialization.”<\/em><\/p>\n

As the deindustrialisation of Africa’s most industrialised country accelerates, the unemployment rate will increase accordingly and even more people, to survive, will become reliant on government grants. The centralized ANC state then has citizens exactly where they want them \u2013 under their control and dependent upon the government for daily living. In this way future votes are secured, leading to the perpetuation of the ANC — a typical seditious device to remain in power indefinitely, like other nations in Africa.<\/em><\/p>\n

Even the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), a radical far-leftist political party \u2013 that of “Kill the farmer, kill the Boer” fame \u2013\u00a0lament<\/a>\u00a0this economic catastrophe:<\/em><\/p>\n

“What we are witnessing is the destruction of the little industry South Africa has left, a collapse that will hollow out communities and deepen mass unemployment… The government cannot continue to wash its hands while South Africa’s industrial backbone is dismantled.”<\/em><\/p>\n

The irony of their complaint is seemingly lost on the EFF: it was their policies that significantly contributed to the economic demise and deindustrialisation of the country. The party’s leader, Julius Malema,\u00a0calls<\/a>\u00a0for supporters to “cut the throat of whiteness” and “shoot the Boer,” while advocating land-grabs without compensation, particularly of white-owned farmland.<\/em><\/p>\n

In 2022 Malema’s revolutionary slogans, such as “Kill the Farmer” were\u00a0ruled<\/a>\u00a0by the Equality Court not as hate speech, but simply an exercise in freedom of speech. However, in August this year a High Court did find Malema\u00a0guilty<\/a>\u00a0of hate speech.<\/em><\/p>\n

This issue was raised by US President Donald Trump at the White House meeting in May 2025 when South African President Cyril Ramaphosa dismissed allegations of hate speech directed at whites.<\/em><\/p>\n

In addition to the closing or restructuring of corporate stalwarts such as Goodyear, Dunlop Tyres, Glencore, Mango Airlines, supermarket chain Pick n Pay, Group Five Construction, MultiChoice media, the South African Broadcasting Corporation, Cell C, the South African Post Office, Stefanutti Stocks construction, the analytic and data group\u00a0Nielsen<\/a>, other notable entities in financial distress include:<\/em><\/p>\n

Murray & Roberts<\/a>, a construction giant with an international footprint and an icon in South Africa for over 120 years, went into\u00a0receivership<\/a>\u00a0this year, laying-off some 1,400 workers. As there are very few, if any, openings for these workers elsewhere, and given that one worker supports at least four others, more than 5,000 people will go hungry.<\/em><\/p>\n

ArcelorMittal, a major steel company – the largest and\u00a0oldest<\/a>\u00a0(since 1928) in the nation – is in the process of\u00a0closing<\/a>\u00a0various plants. As CEO Kobus Verster\u00a0explained<\/a>:<\/em><\/p>\n

“Around 3,500 jobs would be lost directly, while studies estimate that as many as 80,000 people could be affected indirectly as downstream businesses, mines, quarries, schools, and small guesthouses dependent on the industry.”<\/em><\/p>\n

Collateral damage includes leading\u00a0iron ore mines<\/a>\u00a0due to the fact that ArcelorMittal is their main customer.<\/em><\/p>\n

Ford Motor Company in South Africa\u00a0advises<\/a>\u00a0the public that it will be firing nearly 500 workers due to slowing demand. Ford is a major manufacturer of motor vehicles in the country and has had a presence there for over\u00a0100 years<\/a>. A spokesman for the Solidarity trade union\u00a0commented<\/a>:<\/em><\/p>\n

“When an automotive giant like Ford takes such drastic steps, it is a warning to the entire industry… We fear that further retrenchments may be inevitable if conditions do not improve quickly.”<\/em><\/p>\n

The sad upshot is that the economy is “imploding, with key industries falling one by one like a set of dominoes, after 15 years of mismanagement and poor government policy,”\u00a0notes<\/a>\u00a0journalist Shaun Jacobs.<\/em><\/p>\n

Concerningly, there are no internal indications whatsoever that the socialist-driven centralized economy will improve “quickly” or at all. In fact, it will probably continue to deteriorate — unless Trump intervenes. If there is to be hope for South Africa, and the ANC is to relinquish power or remedy their destructive\u00a0policies<\/a>, this hope lies largely with the current US administration.<\/em><\/p>\n

To bring about fundamental change in South Africa, there has to be a change from its alliance with totalitarian regimes to one closer to those nations reflecting Western interests and the liberal democratic tradition. The country is too important to the West for it to remain\u00a0aligned<\/a>\u00a0with anti-Western powers of China, Russia, Iran and North Korea, and for these despotic nations to take advantage of America’s absence of influence in southern Africa.<\/em><\/p>\n

The West has long been sympathetic to South Africa — arguably, at times, too sympathetic — and has mainly treated it gently despite its recent alignment with BRICS, a group of 11 emerging economies — Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia — that bonded together on economic and geopolitical issues presumably as a counterbalance to the West, and purportedly to increase development.<\/em><\/p>\n

Despite much international criticism, Ramaphosa\u00a0declared<\/a>\u00a0in February that, “We are not daunted. We will not be deterred. We will speak in defense of our national interests.” Despite being the US’s\u00a0largest<\/a>\u00a0trade partner in Africa, he was clearly verbalizing the ANC’s defiant attitude towards the West.<\/em><\/p>\n

South Africa has also cosied up to totalitarian nations. South Africa’s anti-Western stance, however, was made clear at the United Nations when\u00a0supporting<\/a>\u00a0resolutions contrary to Western interests. Trump noticed this contrary stance and decided to take action.<\/em><\/p>\n

On May 21, 2025, when Ramaphosa met Trump at the White House, the US deemed it a suitable occasion to confront him with South Africa’s radical policies, including the 140 racist employment and business\u00a0restrictions<\/a>\u00a0on white males.<\/em><\/p>\n

Other issues raised in Washington included hate speech against minorities, which has resulted in a mass exodus of the white educated class. Assaults on white farmers have also forced many farmers to take advantage of America’s refugee program to relocate in the US. A further contentious issue was the ANC decision to\u00a0expropriate<\/a>\u00a0private property without compensation \u2013 a\u00a0disastrous<\/a>\u00a0policy that crippled neighbouring Zimbabwe — creating much uncertainty, and likely resulting in a dearth of foreign investment.<\/em><\/p>\n

Also of concern was South Africa’s military\u00a0co-operation<\/a>\u00a0with ideological “soulmates” such as Iran, Russia, and Communist China — with which the ANC\u00a0has<\/a>\u00a0“one of the strongest party-to-party relationships in Africa.” It is a policy that has surely led to the country being further ostracised by western investors.<\/em><\/p>\n

The\u00a0televised<\/a>\u00a0meeting at the White House was a calamity for South Africa. Ramaphosa was unable to explain to a global audience why such racist policies are not only permitted, but enacted into law. After all, the West supported the liberation struggle against Apartheid policies — to end racial discrimination in the country against blacks — and enabled the ANC to take power. A situation of reverse-Apartheid, of apparent\u00a0revenge<\/a>, against whites seems to have emerged in its place.<\/em><\/p>\n

Upon Ramaphosa’s return home — despite being criticised in front of a wide audience, and at\u00a0risk<\/a>\u00a0of the ANC and its leaders being\u00a0sanctioned<\/a>\u00a0by the US — an ANC spokesperson\u00a0doubled-down<\/a>\u00a0on their radical agenda:<\/em><\/p>\n

“We hear there is a good lobby around sanctions, but throughout our struggle we know that leaders and members of the liberation movement had to sacrifice. Even in this particular period, we will continue to pay the price of standing for justice, humanity, equality and respect for the rule of law.”<\/em><\/p>\n

These are commendable words but misleading. The ANC’s contraventions of human rights and their blatant racism against minorities contradict their fine words.<\/em><\/p>\n

The ANC’s\u00a0statement<\/a>\u00a0of intent sadly reveals that they will not waver from their ideological stance despite threat of\u00a0sanctions<\/a>\u00a0and punitive US trade tariffs. The spokesman for the Institute of Race Relations, John Endres,\u00a0commented<\/a>\u00a0about the ANC:<\/em><\/p>\n

“The party misses no opportunity to reaffirm its commitment to the National Democratic Revolution, a programme designed to turn South Africa first into a socialist and then into a communist state.”<\/em><\/p>\n

Facing US\u00a0sanctions<\/a>,<\/strong>\u00a0the ANC is fast losing political support both domestically. Political commentator Hermann Pretorius\u00a0predicts<\/a>\u00a0that, due to its contrarian ideological stance, the ANC is on a “death spiral”. Its share of votes is\u00a0estimated<\/a>\u00a0to have fallen from some 70% in 2004, to\u00a040%<\/a>\u00a0in 2024, and in 2025 is estimated to be around 30%. Pretorius\u00a0says<\/a>\u00a0of the ANC:<\/em><\/p>\n

“Instead of renewal, it has chosen entrenchment. Instead of pragmatism, dogma. Instead of growth, redistribution without production. Instead of survival, an overdose of toxic ideology.”<\/em><\/p>\n

Determining what the next dominant political party will be is fraught with complexities. The main contenders are the Democratic Alliance (DA), a centrist party supported by\u00a022%<\/a>\u00a0of the electorate but limited appeal to a black majority; the far-left and vehemently anti-White EFF that commanded only\u00a09%<\/a>\u00a0at the 2024 national election, and the MK Party, a Zulu ethnic-focused group polling at\u00a015%<\/a>, based mainly in one state. The outcome will probably be a coalition of convenience, not of ideology, and thus subject to early fracture.<\/em><\/p>\n

The weakening of the ANC’s authority might lead to other challenges. Endres\u00a0predicts<\/a>:<\/em><\/p>\n

“The party would resort to ever more extreme versions of the NDR \u2013 more state intervention, more regulation, more race-based laws, more threats to property rights \u2013 in an effort to reassert its power. It would be more tempted to get into bed with the EFF and MK to shore up its support.”<\/em><\/p>\n

In this scenario, extreme leftist parties would dominate politics and the centrist DA would be left in the backwaters of irrelevance.<\/em><\/p>\n

A possible alternative to the current constitutional structure is the implementation of a federalised system with independence of the nine states, much like the US. But this too is unlikely as voters might prefer to splinter according to\u00a0tribal<\/a>\u00a0or ethnic affiliation.<\/em><\/p>\n

With the looming\u00a0demise<\/a>\u00a0of ANC dominance, a power vacuum might also result, and the chances of social conflict accelerate. With the nation’s enormously high unemployment rate and endemic poverty, it might only take a spark to set mass social discord alight.<\/em><\/p>\n

In such an event, the ANC’s close relationship with the military might see a development whereby the latter is asked to take control, or simply takes over, in order to reinstate ANC dominance by force \u2013 a typical communist ploy has been used in Zimbabwe and other countries.<\/em><\/p>\n

As it is, the military has recently engaged in activities outside the scope of its neutral position and accountability to the executive. A few weeks ago, General Rudzani Maphwanya, chief of the\u00a0South African National Defence Force\u00a0(SANDF), apparently took it upon himself to pay an official visit to Iran. Respected political commentator William Saunderson-Meyer\u00a0commented<\/a>:<\/em><\/p>\n

“In Tehran, Maphwanya blatantly entered the civilian arena of governance to punt military and diplomatic cooperation. Emphasising that his trip was ‘not only a military one’ but had been ‘carried out at the best possible time’ to convey ‘a political message’, Maphwanya delivered personal greetings from Ramaphosa and Motshekga to the ‘peace-loving nation of Iran’ with which, he said, South Africa shares ‘common goals.'”<\/em><\/p>\n

Ramaphosa should have been outraged at this usurpation of the executive’s role and fired Maphwanya. In an ominous development for South Africa’s democracy and separation of powers, Ramaphosa instead\u00a0called<\/a>\u00a0a meeting of no consequence with the Maphwanya, not even a “slap on the wrist.” Along the same lines, Rear Admiral Prince Tshabalala, the SANDF’s director of Defence Corporate Communication, “made it\u00a0clear<\/a>\u00a0that the SANDF sees a political role for itself.”<\/em><\/p>\n

Saunderson-Meyer therefore\u00a0believes<\/a>\u00a0“the ANC might not be able to prevent the military from acting as it sees fit.”<\/em><\/p>\n

The ANC is reportedly trying to forge a “deal<\/a>” with Trump, to enlist deeper US involvement in South Africa. Its future should be of serious concern to its citizens and the West.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0egretnewseditor@gmail.com\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

South Africa has regressed into an ideologically-driven socialist communist abyss of poverty, crime, corruption and systemic dysfunction at all levels: local, state and national all in 30 years since the end of Apartheid. Once the leading economic power in all of Africa, South Africa is now regarded as the most corrupt country on the continent.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":47471,"featured_media":22124,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[198,2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22122","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-slider","category-top-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/egretnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22122","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/egretnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/egretnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/egretnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/47471"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/egretnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22122"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/egretnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22122\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22125,"href":"https:\/\/egretnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22122\/revisions\/22125"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/egretnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22124"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/egretnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22122"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/egretnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22122"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/egretnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22122"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}