In a dynamic dialogue with entrepreneur and [retired] political activist Rob Hersov at BNC#6 in Hermanus, the BizNews favourite delved into the intricacies of South Africa’s political landscape and the impending 29 May elections. Hersov emphasised the potential formation of coalitions, foreseeing a delicate balance between the ANC, DA, and Patriotic Alliance. He underlined the paramount importance of protecting property rights to avert economic collapse and also touched on foreign influences, economic strategies, and the role of leadership in advocating for change.
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Summary of the Question and Answer session with Rob Hersov at BNC#6 in Hermanus
The conversation between Alec Hogg and Rob Hersov delved into various political, economic, and social issues facing South Africa. Hersov expressed scepticism about the country’s political landscape, suggesting potential scenarios for coalition building and criticizing the ANC’s leadership. He emphasised the critical need to protect property rights to prevent the collapse of the country’s economy.
The discussion also touched on international influences, with Hersov highlighting alleged Russian involvement in South African politics and the implications of foreign interference. However, he downplayed concerns about social media manipulation and election rigging, focusing instead on the importance of tackling corruption and economic challenges.
Regarding economic policy, Hersov discussed the possibility of prescribed assets and emphasized the need for funding to rebuild the country’s infrastructure and economy. He suggested tapping into pension funds and foreign investment as potential sources of capital.
Hersov criticized the lack of leadership from large corporate CEOs in speaking out against the ANC’s policies and called for more engagement from business leaders in advocating for change. He highlighted the importance of grassroots efforts, including encouraging voter registration and participation, particularly among small business owners.
The conversation also touched on the rule of law, with Hersov acknowledging its importance but suggesting that in the current environment, individuals may prioritize their own actions over strict adherence to legal norms.
Overall, Hersov’s remarks reflected a blend of scepticism about the current state of South African politics and optimism about the potential for change through grassroots activism and economic reform. The discussion underscored the complex challenges facing the country and the need for decisive action to address them.
Extended transcript of the Question and Answer session with Rob Hersov at BNC#6 in Hermanus ___STEADY_PAYWALL___
Alec Hogg [00:00:05] Yeah Rob, throwing away your speech and then giving us a speech anyway. That was a good move, but, done with political activism. We never done. Nobody can ever be done. Surely. I know you’ve taken the hits. I know you’re the man in the arena. But maybe you just need a little bit of a break and then reassess after [00:00:29]the fun. [0.0s]
Rob Hersov [00:00:30] I knew this would happen.
Alec Hogg [00:00:32] But what about the big story of investability? Uninvestable South Africa? Are you still of that mindset?
Rob Hersov [00:00:43] I am, I really am. Here’s the problem. Everyone has a scenario for the what’s going to happen on May the 29th. And my scenario is the following. I know that certain members of the ANC cabinet want to do a deal with the DA. It’s probably no secret who they are, includes Cyril and his team. If they end up at 33%, which I think they’ll be at, they then have to decide with the DA at, let’s say, 23, do the team up with the DA, which, by the way, Helen Zille at her credit, has always kept that door open, ditching coalition partners on the way. Or do they go in another direction? My view? Is that because every member of the senior ANC deserves to go to jail, and there’s more than enough evidence to put them in jail, and the DA has high principles and will have to put people in jail. That will never happen. That coalition will never happen, for pragmatic reasons and people not wanting to go to jail. So what’s the next option? ANC at 33, EFF 10. 43. They just need 8 more. The Patriotic Alliance will get 8%. Gayton will join that coalition. And here is why you will thank whoever you believe in that he does. In a coalition agreement, which we haven’t had in South Africa yet, we’re going into coalition now, because you are the biggest party doesn’t mean you get 10 non-negotiables before the others get theirs. It starts with their non negotiable. Your non-negotiable. My non-negotiable. And Gayton McKenzie’s non-negotiable. He’s going to be property rights, which will save this country. We will survive, just. An ANC EFF Patriotic Alliance coalition for the next 4 or 5 years, if someone in that group protects property rights. The minute you give up on property rights, the country is finished. There won’t be any foreign direct investment. There won’t be any investment. It’s over. Mines, banks and land are gone. Our country will collapse. Our country will collapse. And the only person that can prevent that is speaking next.
Alec Hogg [00:03:24] So according to the Brenthurst Foundation, if you want to believe it or not, believe it. The latest poll comes out, the socialist parties are comfortably above 50% without needing Gayton i.e. ANC, MK, EFF.
Rob Hersov [00:03:40] Never going to happen. Why? Everyone in this room, and you know what I’m saying, think that because they all come from the same background, they can all work together. But the hatred of each other in those three is greater than their distaste for us. You know what I’m saying? Zuma has been caught flat footed. He’s the most popular politician by far. He would steam through to 15 to 18%, but he hasn’t got enough time. And this is where [00:04:11]Cyril played a clever card by calling, by the way, I said May 22nd way back, by calling May 29th, he’s not only disrupted a lot of other party’s plans that can’t get their lists together. But he’s hobbled Zuma and MK because they haven’t had a chance to put their logistics in place. And what’s an election all about? Bussing people to the poll, feeding them on the day, wearing the t-shirts and having posters up of a reasonably long length of time, which give people a feeling this political party is for real and is for long term. It’s as simple as that. [39.7s] And he doesn’t have his logistics in place. In fact, all the buses and all the taxis have already been booked by the ANC, DA. So Zuma won’t get over 10%. There’s no way. I mean, I think 6 or 7, if he’s lucky. And his conditions to join that coalition will be impossible for the other two to accept. And remember, he’s taking votes from EFF and ANC. He’s not loved by them. So forget that coalition ever coming in. By the way, I’d rather trust the Russian polls than Brenthurst polls.
Alec Hogg [00:05:27] You touched a little on, on Russia and Iran. Just go to a little bit more detail on your thoughts. I don’t know if you saw the interview that Linda van Tilburg did with Andre Pinon, which was incredibly instructive. Here’s a guy who helped to start the Scorpions. He says that Zuma is being funded by the Russian secret service. 100%. So we also know that Malema stood up at the anniversary of, I think a 10th anniversary. And he said, Putin is us. We are Putin. So clearly Putin’s playing.
Rob Hersov [00:06:05] I think that was a pitch from [00:06:06]hoping. I [0.0s] think he’s asking for money. He’s funded by the tobacco gangsters. And I heard a lot of his money comes out of the UK, but I haven’t found out yet where, Malema.
Alec Hogg [00:06:18] But the Russian influence or impact on the next election, if it can play such a big role in the United States against which we are a minnow. What kind of a role could it play here?
Rob Hersov [00:06:32] So social media is how they do it, trolling, and social media. And I think that has less impact in South Africa. So rigging an election, I’m not an expert on that. But I’m sure the DA and their people actually know how to protect against that. I’m less worried about, you know, election fraud. And I’m also less worried about social media. All the tricks have been played already. You know, the the DA is being positioned as a political party that’ll take away your grants. I mean, that’s way more effective than anything else. They gotta to fight against that. So I’m less worried about the social impact.
Alec Hogg [00:07:11] I’m really sorry you didn’t spend the day. I know I saw you coming in and out yesterday with the politicians, because there was some incredible content. Mmusi, I think, would make every South African proud to have him as their president. Certainly the way that he did what he delivered yesterday was articulate, it was hopeful, it was not this fighting between the opposition parties that we’ve seen in the past. John Steenhuisen was really top class. Yeah. Velenkosini Hlabisa, when he went off script, gave you the impression of a man with deep integrity and deep intellect. And Herbert Mashaba was just awesome. He was a business man who was going to bring business practicalities to it. They said amongst them, or the impression I got and certainly from Mr. Hlabisa was that it’s not going to be a DA moving off to go and play with the ANC. It’ll be the ANC if that happens, playing with the MPC in a government of national unity. How does that change your thinking if that were to happen?
Rob Hersov [00:08:19] So Frans Cronje’s research, which if you’ve been following it over the years, is the best research available, has always said that people hark back to ’94 to 2004, the Rainbow Coalition. They would take that every day of the week today. That answer. But who’s in the Rainbow Coalition? My question. The second issue is, our country is in crisis, our economy is collapsing, we are industrialising, and our state owned enterprises are dead, buried and bankrupt. Some of them unrepairable. Mmusi, Herman, John, are really extraordinary people. But not for this next phase. For the phase thereafter. They, one of them will run the country next time round. But [00:09:15]this time round, we need a turnaround expert. In the financial turnaround business, you buy a business for 5 cents on the dollar. And you make decisions immediately. You call the debt holders and you say, we’re not paying you back, two year window. Take it or leave it. You call the equity guys, and say you’re wiped out. Don’t call me again. You call the banks and say, I don’t want a call from you on anything. We’re going to fix this thing, and you fire and you clean things out. [29.5s] And I know, Sean, some of those things, Sean’s putting in place. But you do them on day one. On day one. And the politicians yesterday are the most extraordinary people. But for this phase, we need in the coalition someone or some people who are going to do the hard stuff. And if you’re going to be dealing with mafia and gangsters, you got to front up to them in a seriously tough way. And the people you saw yesterday are too smart, too nice, too decent for that role. So we need someone in the coalition who can do that.
Alec Hogg [00:10:23] Okay. But my question was, and that’s your view, and and I think we all respect it. But if South Africa harks back to the days of the government of national unity. If the multi-party charter do stick together in the way that we hoped they would yesterday, and if the good ANC were to have a government of national unity with the multiparty charter, what would your view on that be for this country? Would it become investable?
Rob Hersov [00:10:55] How does that happen? When Cyril got elected CR17, he lost the election. But at the very last minute, with funding organised by Steven Kossoff, from a lot of good South Africans, allowed Cyril to bribe David Mabuza to cross the floor and win. Okay, so 55% of the people there voted for Cyril, but 45% didn’t and don’t like him and never did.
Alec Hogg [00:11:20] No, Robert was much closer. I looked at the number. There were over 4000 votes, of which Cyril won by 21.
Rob Hersov [00:11:31] 10, 49, 51.
Alec Hogg [00:11:33] It’s even closer.
Rob Hersov [00:11:35] Okay. 49.5. 50.5. Nonetheless, half of the people don’t like Cyril. Half of the people are behind Paul Mashatile and Paul Mashatile wants to do the deal with the EFF. So I don’t see the ANC splitting before the election. It’s not going to happen.
Alec Hogg [00:11:57] Okay. You mentioned prescribed assets. I think there are a lot of people in this room who are going to take you on on that, carrot and stick. That’s a stick.
Rob Hersov [00:12:05] We don’t have an option. It’s privatisation effectively because the government’s not involved in this bond. And how else do you fund something like this? It’s not going to be funded by the international market and there’s going to be difficulty in liquidity. So you’re going to need all four of the banks to trade the bonds 24/7. No one likes prescribed assets. There’s, you know, the monetarists in here going to say this is inflationary. It’s a very difficult thing to put together. But our country has been ravaged as though we have been hit, invaded by Russia or bombed by an enemy country. Some of our capital assets are irreparable. We can’t fix them. We have to rebuild this country. We have to start again. How do we do it? The tax base is too low. The too few taxpayers. And it’s shrinking. There’s capital flight. There’s no other way to fund it.
Alec Hogg [00:13:05] But prescribed assets was one of the major reasons why there was such capital flight during Apartheid, that many of the people who did not agree with Apartheid took their assets over offshore and said, I’m justified. I might be breaking a bad law, but I’m actually not wanting to have my money in this country when I’m forced to put 53% of it into retirement.
Rob Hersov [00:13:27] We don’t need to do 53%. It’ll be much smaller numbers. 5% of the hedge fund unit trust industries gets us some of the way there.
Alec Hogg [00:13:38] I just wonder whether a carrot isn’t better than a stick.
Rob Hersov [00:13:42] But what carrot?
Alec Hogg [00:13:43] Well, the carrot of a government of national unity. Or a government that is moving away from socialism. A government that is privatised. That’s a carrot. And there are some who believe that’s happening by default anyway.
Rob Hersov [00:13:55] So you think just by having the government of national unity.
Alec Hogg [00:13:58] I ask you the question. I’m not thinking, I’m asking.
Rob Hersov [00:13:59] I’ve already assumed we have a government of national unity in order to have the reconstruction bond, because there’s no way this current government would allow it. They want to do it. Didn’t they announce two days ago they prescribed assets, but they’re going to run us, which is like, you know, giving them money again to waste, steal, break. I don’t know.
Alec Hogg [00:14:25] Rob, I know you’re a big fan of Jordan Peterson. Yeah. And perhaps his most important thesis is that the world is made up of order and chaos. Now many people in society, you are Captain Chaos. You come to the party, you disrupt. You say, let’s do things differently. You say things as they are while nobody else wants to. Is your speech today about, hey, let me get a bit of order. Or do we need a bit more order? Given that trade-off.
Rob Hersov [00:14:58] You’re going to have to help me with the other word, but there’s entropy and the other word. So you either believe that the world is stable and external elements create the disruption, or you believe that the world is fundamentally unstable and has to be pulled together all the time to hold it together. I believe that it’s fundamentally unstable, and we continually trying to fix and keep things together. The book that I recommended that you put in the bookshop, which is out of print for the moment, is about freedom, how we created it, and why it’s so important. And you’re looking at me going, ridiculous. Isn’t that self-evident? But [00:15:43]the thesis of the book is that if the French and Spanish had conquered the world, instead of the Brits, we would have elite status making all our decisions. But the fact the Brits had Magna Carta, the Brits conquered the world, and the Americans then took that to a better level with their constitution, has given the world freedom for the first time. And it’s very precious and it’s very easy to lose, and we take it all for granted. [32.0s] And that’s the book that changed my thinking. So we have to fight every single day for freedom, for democracy and for capitalism because we’re losing the battle. I have friends, one of whom is here. Yeah, he is, who still thinks socialism hasn’t been tried properly. It’s stupid. It is fundamentally stupid. But we are to blame. And this is where I, your suggestion the few months ago when I said I’ve had it with this political activism and we had a great discussion, Alec said, as you’re passionate about capitalism, why don’t you take that on? Why did you re-educate people on why capitalism is the only way forward and why socialism fails? And because I’m a bit of a populist, I might be able to explain that in simpler terms to the mass market, and trying to re-win the market for capitalism, but we’re losing that battle.
Alec Hogg [00:17:20] 1992, Francis Fukuyama wrote The End of History, and it was supposed to be the end of history, because the Berlin Wall had fallen. We’d seen what the Soviet Union had done, we’d seen what socialism had done, it was an obvious, obvious system not to use. And his whole thesis was western democracy and free enterprise is just so clearly superior. And yet it’s not being implemented. And in this country clearly not. So are you picking up those cudgels?
Rob Hersov [00:17:51] So when I work for Rupert Murdoch. I helped write his MacArthur speech in Edinburgh, where we made two important points one, that the BBC was a dictatorial organisation and they decided, not you. What quality was. So we slammed them. We were going to introduce multi-channel television and that was an important point to make. Let the consumers decide what quality is and what they want, not these leftist, dictatorial BBC types. But the second message was, the Berlin Wall cannot survive. Okay. This is a year before the collapse, because MTV was the example we used, knows no boundaries. And the East Germans are going to want their MTV. And Rupert was so right. So, we took for granted when the Berlin Wall came down, when we beat the commies, when capitalism thrived 50s, 60s. We took it for granted that everyone got the message. But the bad guys didn’t give up. And one by one, they replaced professors at universities. They replaced, you know, political leaders, civic society. You know, Soros funding. To say, well, you may think capitalism is the right system, but how do you explain the free market? How do you explain this? Socialism is about equality, you know. It’s about giving everyone what they what they need. And slowly that message of the narrative won, and we are losing that battle. And if you look at examples of North Korea, South Korea, Cuba, Florida, I mean, it’s so blatantly obvious that capitalist society allows human ingenuity to to thrive and everybody benefits. And yet no one seems to understand that.
Alec Hogg [00:19:44] Okay. Your turn. Down from the floor. We’ve got, our BizNews team in BizNews blue today.
Rob Hersov [00:19:51] And hit me hard because there’s only 20 minutes left. You’re not going to see me after here.
BizNews Community Member [00:20:04] Hi. Good morning. Rob. I agree with you on electricity. But what about water? Water is as important as electricity.
Alec Hogg [00:20:15] Thank you. Nice question
Rob Hersov [00:20:18] No it isn’t. People have been living with no water in the rural homeless areas for a very long time, ok. In Knysna, it’s the most important issue. But it isn’t the most important issue pan South Africa. The one device that everybody has and they they buy it and got it and look after it prior to getting new shoes, prior to paying even for education is your smart device because it connects you to the world. It connects you to other people. You can tell people you’re not going to make it this weekend. You can send them money. It’s the most important device they have and will have electricity. It doesn’t work.
BizNews Community Member [00:20:59] Pension funds. There’s been rumours that, everyone wants to get their hands on pension funds. What’s your view on, if a new government gets elected? How big is the pension fund injection in our country? Capital wise? And, will the pension funds with government guarantees, if there’s a new government, how will that affect the country? And if it’s a possibility to get that.
Alec Hogg [00:21:25] Yeah.
Rob Hersov [00:21:26] Pension funds don’t like, prescribe assets because you’re telling that 5% of the money has to go into certain investments. I don’t see any way around that. I really don’t. How do you fund the reconstruction of the country? How do you find it? You look for where the money is, ok. Taxpayers haven’t any anymore. The hedge funds, pension funds have them. Foreigners that are desperate to get residence here can invest. And I know you think I’m crazy, but I can name 50 people right now who’ve been trying to get permanent residence in South Africa. All 50 in the Western Cape. Unsurprisingly, where home affairs aren’t interested, don’t call them back. Probably lost the file. Okay. Those 50 are all extremely wealthy Swedes, Germans, Italians and Brits. I can name them and they’re giving up. And they buy big houses that hire people and start companies that move the back office of their tech companies to Cape Town or wherever in South Africa. So if I know 50, we know 200 in this room or 300 in this room, okay. And the third way is corporate cash sitting in the banks. Frans says 1.5 trillion. All right. 5% of prescribe assets sitting in the back, and they’re earning 15%, Frans, okay. Grab that cash. I didn’t see any other way.
Alec Hogg [00:22:56] It’s carrot and stick. Carrot and stick. Use the stick. Some of us believe in the carrot. Okay.
BizNews Community Member [00:23:02] Thank you. Absolutely, fantastic speech. And for all you’ve done for us. I just to ask, first question, what. Do you think. The necessity of the rule of law is for running a country?
Rob Hersov [00:23:16] What is the.
Alec Hogg [00:23:17] The necessity of the rule of law for running a country?
Rob Hersov [00:23:20] Whoop! Wow! There’s a great expression. And I think it applies today. It’s better to beg forgiveness than receive permission. David Ansara made up, he’s making incredible speeches and he’s is incredible. Free market foundation. And he made a speech called the the centre cannot hold. Few months ago. And what he was saying is, [00:23:50]South Africa’s always been run by Pretoria, under the Nats, under the ANC. Pretoria makes all the decisions but Pretoria is falling apart. Corruption, thievery, incompetence, and now is the opportunity. On the negative side, the gangsters and thieves move into the gap. It is not rule of law, but on the positive side, for everyone in this room, it’s the greatest entrepreneurial opportunity of your lifetime. [25.0s] And the DA has noticed it. Jordan Hill Lewis, superb, who will run the DA at some point soon, I’m convinced, is trying to get control of the railways in the Cape. They’re less destroyed than everywhere else. He’s already funded, I think it’s 10 million from him, 10 million from Alan Wendy to hire and train railway engineers, railway people. So if he gets control of the railways, they’ll run again in the Cape. Okay. Privatisation by default. So Gandhi perfected civil disobedience. And we should too. There’s a 5% chance in this country of a murder being solved and the person going to jail. 5%. Pretty good odds. You might as well go murder people. And that applies in every area of the rule of law, okay. You can talk your way out of it. You can bribe your way out of it. You can just say, I don’t care. That’s what’s happening in South Africa. So rule of law is fundamental. But in this environment, you know why obey the law when you know you’re doing the right thing?
Alec Hogg [00:25:28] It’s quite interesting.
Rob Hersov [00:25:29] Don’t call me, Gandhi.
Alec Hogg [00:25:30] Next time you come from Johannesburg to the Western Cape. When you’ve crossed the Free State border, have a look to your left hand side of the railway lines up to the Free State border. There are no cables. Just after the Free State border, surprisingly, there are cables again. And it’s a little bit like when you go from where Chris Pappas is the mayor, in KZN, you drive on that road between Hilton and Pietermaritzburg and it’s actually as you cross the border, you go from pothole free to many potholes. That gets back to what we were talking about earlier. There’s so many examples. And yet then it’s like the hearts haven’t been won.
Rob Hersov [00:26:12] I know, but those examples resonate with us, then resonate with the the average person who’s worried about feeding their family, paying their bills, eating at night and living in a shack. Hello, my name’s Graham McIntosh. Great to be.
BizNews Community Member [00:26:30] Here. Thank you. Rob. Your words stretch our minds. And remove the. Deck chairs. My question is, transition, may we need. A state of emergency. Or as we had under Covid? A state of disaster, which was a. Very useful.
Alec Hogg [00:26:53] Graham, you know the rules. Come on.
BizNews Community Member [00:26:57] What do you think, Rob, of declaring a state of disaster?
Rob Hersov [00:27:03] I don’t think we should declare anything, because all it does is allow Pretoria to impose upon us things that they want and we don’t want. Where we are right now is complete, it’s not anarchy, but it’s complete freedom. This, for us, is the freest place on the planet, for us. We have the ability to pay our bills. This is the greatest opportunity. And that’s the silver lining. Just ignore what Pretoria says and build, and do what you need to do. They won’t be around for long.
BizNews Community Member [00:27:42] Rob I’ve got a question for you. You mentioned that business leaders need to stand. Up and be counted. As a small business owner , owning the business 100% myself, I don’t want any other shareholders, let alone the shareholder, I’m forced to take. To how? How can I, as. A small business. Owner, stand up and be counted? Must, disobey the law, must, I mean, there are other options that I can that I can use, but. How do I. As a small business. Owner, combat that.
Rob Hersov [00:28:15] So my message is really for the big corporate CEOs, the ones that have the big platforms, the ones that speak at conferences, get invited to business schools, you know, called to these great dinners of the good and the great to speak. Those are the people that should be speaking, and those are the opportunities where they should be standing up and saying, the ANC is destroying this country. We need to vote for change. That’s all they need to say. And very few are saying it. But for a small business owner, thank you. For a small business owner, it’s much harder. You don’t usually have the platform to speak. And I’m very privileged to be here, Alec, thank you. Able to say these things. I’m very, very grateful. But for a small business owner, I think the best you can do is put whatever money you can behind the DA and the coalition partners. Try and get all the people at work for you to register and to vote. Bit late for that. At least try to get them to vote and that’s the best you can do. But I’m calling out the big corporate leaders and they know who they are.
BizNews Community Member [00:29:19] Hi, Rob. I heard what you said about Grayton McKenzie, and I think I agree with some of your comments, but a man like Herman Mashaba, who’s self-made, is he not a better candidate?
Rob Hersov: Yeah, potentially. I never said Gayton is the presidential candidate. I said he’s one of, I said John Steenhuisen, Velenkosini, Mmusi, not Zibi because he hasn’t quite got the Israel Palestine thing right. But maybe he’d be there. Corne Mulder, incredible. And all will be incredible preisdents. And Gayton, keep an open mind. He’s not the the, he’s one of. And he’s now speaking next. So ask him.
BizNews Community Member [00:30:04] That is, you don’t want to. Now my question was. Why the big support for Gayton Mckenzie. Given his recent, I think, yeah. He was given. A chance to be mayor at Beaufort West. West, and I don’t believe he covered himself in glory. Why the support that you had so much confidence in him.
Rob Hersov [00:30:24] Okay. There he is over that. I’ve known him for three years. When I went to meet with him, I said to secretary, who am I meeting? Who is he? She said, I don’t know, that friend of yours said, you got to meet him. We had a half an hour meeting, that went for 4 hours, and I walked away thinking, I’ve met one of the most extraordinary people on the planet. And if you don’t believe me, ask Herman Mashaba. Call him [00:30:48]older. [0.0s] The whole Inkatha team, ask all of them their view of Gayton McKenzie. They believe in him. I believe in him. I introduced you to him. Have an open mind. Gayton Mackenzie, two years ago, I said, I went on your website, there’s no donate button. I was going to send you some money. He said, I don’t want your money. I said, nobody says that other than Frans Cronje. I said, I don’t need your money. That’s different. I don’t want your money, Gayton said if I take your money or anyone in the room, there’s conditions to it, you can then call me and ask me to do things. And if I’m going to be in government, I want to be able to execute on my manifesto without someone saying, you owe me. Secondly. What does he believe in? He is anti-communist. He’s the only one that has publicly taken on Malema. Go look. It’s online. He is a believer in rule of law. He’s a believer in democracy and capitalism. Does this sound familiar to you? He is a believer in the death penalty, and my viewers have a referendum on that. And he’s also a believer in getting rid of illegal foreigners. How can you not believe in getting rid of illegal foreigners? His manifesto is almost identical to ActionSA, Inkatha, and the DA and yet, the DA doesn’t want him in the multi-party coalition, and they’re the ones spreading the lies and rumours about him. I asked Helen Zilla, why won’t you let the Patriotic Alliance into the multi-party coalition, even though Corne Mulder, Herman, Mashaba, Inkatha have invited him in? She said because he’s a crook and a gangster. And I said, show me any shred of evidence, any shred of evidence, and I’ll walk away from my support of him. There is none. There is none. So have an open mind. He’s speaking next. Nail him with any questions you want. He’s wearing a jacket and a tie, by the way. It’s unusual. Just have an open mind, okay? You have a vision of a Hollywood movie with the president, looks like Mmusi Maimane, acts like Mmusi Maimane and speaks like Maimane. And it will be Mmusi Maimane one day. But maybe not this time round, because we need a different person.
Alec Hogg [00:33:19] I’m going to ask Gayton this, but I’ll ask you to tell me what you think his agenda is.
Rob Hersov [00:33:26] His agenda is to.
Alec Hogg [00:33:28] His personal agenda.
Rob Hersov [00:33:30] Okay, that’s a good one. So my personal agenda in speaking is not being to make money, make friends, clearly not. And has not been anything positive. I’m not building a YouTube following. I’m not even on social media. Not a link to YouTube, Facebook, Instagram. Why am I doing it? I told Paul Roelofse, I’m doing it because I actually feel I can make a difference in this country. And he laughed at me. He looked at me and said, no one has that altruistic view on life. And I went, I actually do, for once in my life. I actually look in the mirror and I feel like proud, and I made a difference. And I think he’s the same. I think he actually wants to fix this country, but he comes from abject poverty and I come from huge wealth and privilege. We come from different, different planets and we reach the same conclusion. He believes the same things, I believe, and he’s doing it to fix this country. Final, I asked him, why don’t you list who your cabinet ministers would be? And he said. If I ever was in charge, I would hire the best people for each position. How do you beat that?
BizNews Community Member [00:34:46] Rob, thank you for the hard work and for putting yourself out there. You said the biggest risk in this country is South Africans’ apathy and I’d like you to explain how you feel, other than CEOs speaking out and obviously more business leaders, business owners putting money into the multiparty charter for this election. But surely there’s a need for South Africans, instead of working in silos and being so scattered and distracted by all the noise. How can we do better and be proactive and get this country working and effective?
Rob Hersov [00:35:30] Great, great great question. By working together. I have friends who are VF plus that spend all day attacking the DA. What’s the point? The enemies is the ANC. It’s not the DA. And Sean Summers has said he’s never been more angry with the internecine rivalry of the opposition parties. I was going to end my speech with this comment. The old speech. Last year we won the quarterfinal rugby by one point. We won the semi-final by one point and we won in the final against my wife’s mighty All Black, she’s a Kiwi, by one point. All we need to do on May the 29th is get 1% over 50 and we have won, and the only way to do that is to bang the guys yesterday heads together, bring Gayton in and make this a winning coalition. And Cyril, you need to help us by resigning.
Alec Hogg [00:36:46] There’s a question in the thread. I hope you’re going to ask him about the hearts. How do you win the hearts? Because I don’t think John Steenhuisen answered that question properly. Anyway, here we go. You got the last question? He’s got a minute left. There we go.
Rob Hersov [00:37:00] Can I retire in one minute?
Alec Hogg [00:37:02] Just about.
BizNews Community Member [00:37:05] Thanks for the talk, Rob. I think the question I found myself yesterday defending was exactly what you tried to explain about people like Gayton. So my question, and this is a comment that Nelson Mandela made when he was asked this in the US, I don’t care if the cat is black or white as long as it catches mice. Is that how you feel about Gayton? And I convinced this audience of the site.
Rob Hersov [00:37:27] No, I actually I actually genuinely believe, that he is a good person, one of us, and has all the right values and principles to make this country the success it deserves to be. Thank you everyone. I’ve now retired.
Read also:
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- BNC#6: Frans Cronje Q&A – Embracing SA’s inevitable coalition future
- BNC#6: RW Johnson Q&A – Explosive political insights: ANC’s future hangs in the balance
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