South African Businessman Urges Trump to Take Strong Action Against ANC Policies

Cape Town – South African businessman and outspoken critic of the African National Congress (ANC), Rob Hersov, has issued a passionate plea to U.S. President Donald J. Trump and soon-to-be-appointed U.S. Ambassador to South Africa, Brent Bozell, outlining six bold recommendations to address what he describes as the ANC’s “anti-American, anti-Semitic, kleptocratic, and racist” governance. Hersov’s suggestions aim to pressure the ANC to reverse policies he believes are driving South Africa toward economic collapse and social decay.

In a detailed address, Hersov praised Trump’s leadership and his focus on reinvigorating the American dream, while condemning the ANC’s 30-year rule for de-industrializing South Africa, fostering unemployment (over 42%), and enabling a violent crime epidemic (84 murders daily). He highlighted the country’s failing infrastructure, including rolling electricity blackouts, and accused the ANC of aligning with authoritarian regimes like China, Iran, and Russia, while antagonizing the United States.

Hersov’s six recommendations to the Trump administration are as follows:

1. Appoint a Special Envoy in Cape Town: Hersov urged the immediate appointment of a U.S. special envoy, based in Cape Town, to monitor the rights of ethnic minorities suffering from ANC’s discriminatory policies. The envoy would coordinate with allies and international bodies to pressure the ANC to abandon race-based laws and violent rhetoric, potentially supporting internationally recognized homelands for affected communities.
2. Demand Repeal of Expropriation Without Compensation (EWC): Hersov called for the U.S. to make the repeal of the EWC Act and South Africa’s withdrawal from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) case against Israel prerequisites for any trade negotiations. He noted the ANC’s vulnerability due to U.S. tariffs, which have weakened the rand to a record low of 19 to 1 against the dollar.
3. Reduce Tariffs on Western Cape Exports: Hersov proposed lowering U.S. tariffs on agricultural products, particularly wine, from the Western Cape, a region that opposes EWC and aligns with American interests. A recent poll showed 64% of Western Cape voters favor closer ties with the U.S. over China.
4. Relocate U.S. Ambassadorial Offices to Cape Town: Hersov suggested moving the principal U.S. ambassadorial offices from Pretoria to Cape Town, signaling support for Western-aligned regions and distancing the U.S. from ANC-aligned business figures and organizations.
5. Impose Targeted Sanctions on ANC Leaders: Hersov recommended sanctions against ANC politicians, cronies, and ideologues involved in corruption, hate speech, and anti-American activities, citing the Zondo Commission as a resource for identifying culprits. He suggested figures like President Cyril Ramaphosa, implicated in financial scandals, should be scrutinized.
6. Refuse Engagement with ANC Representatives: Hersov advised against meeting ANC or Government of National Unity (GNU) representatives until EWC and the ICJ case are repealed. He extended this to civil organizations and businesspeople lacking proven pro-American and pro-free market credentials.

Hersov argued these measures align with Trump’s foreign policy principles of making America safer, stronger, and more prosperous. He proposed U.S. investments in the Western Cape’s Simon’s Town Naval Base and Saldanha Port to secure strategic access to the South Atlantic and rare earth minerals, conditional on ANC policy reversals. He emphasized the Democratic Alliance’s control of the Western Cape as a foundation for strong U.S. partnerships.

“South Africa is heading into the abyss under the ANC,” Hersov warned, accusing the party of governing with entitlement while the country falls apart. He thanked Trump for prioritizing South Africa despite numerous global challenges and expressed hope that U.S. intervention could help “remove the racists, socialists, kleptocrats, and ineptocrats” undermining South Africa’s potential.

Hersov’s recommendations have sparked debate, with supporters praising his call for accountability and critics arguing it risks escalating tensions with the ANC government.

As South Africa grapples with economic and social challenges, the world watches to see how the Trump administration will respond to this provocative call to action.