In his weekly take on political developments, United Independent Movement (UIM) President Neil de Beer slams the “cabal of people now cohorting into a public political party (MK) in Parliament”. He describes Jacob Zuma, Brian Molefe, Andile Mngxitama, Siyabonga Gama, Floyd Shivambu, Dr. John Hlope, Lucky Montana, and Mzwanele Manyi as among “the most unscrupulous accused people that harm this country on all levels of State Capture, SOE collapse, and debatably the country’s collapse”. “That’s your 10 Most Wanted poster right there.” As for the defection of Shivambu to MK from the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), De Beer says: “This was orchestrated, is orchestrated and planned.” Describing the battle to prosecute those fingered by the Zondo Commission, he points out: “We spent billions on the Zondo Commission, three years, more than 16 volumes and…some of them are sitting in MK.” De Beer also dissects the latest coalition dramas between the Democratic Alliance (DA) and other parties in metros and municipalities. He further gives his take on what Elon Musk might have gained from his X interview with former US President Donald Trump. And he analyses the bold moves to self-sufficiency by Burkina Faso President Ibrahim Traoré who has turned down help from both the West and the East.
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Highlight from the Interview
In a recent interview, Chris Steyn spoke with Neil de Beer, President of the United Independent Movement, about various political topics. De Beer criticized the lack of accountability following the Zondo Commission’s findings on state capture, naming several high-profile individuals who have yet to face justice. He pointed out that figures like Jacob Zuma, Ace Magashule, Brian Molefe, Dudu Myeni, Malusi Gigaba, Anoj Singh, Nomvula Mokonyane, Gwede Mantashe, and Lynne Brown—whom he labelled as a “Most Wanted” list for their roles in state capture and SOE collapse—are still not held accountable. He questioned the effectiveness of the current government in combating corruption and emphasized the need for real leadership in South Africa.
The discussion also touched on Burkina Faso’s President Ibrahim Traoré, whom De Beer sees as a symbol of a potential African Renaissance. He praised Traoré’s rejection of external influence, including IMF loans and support from Russian-backed Wagner, suggesting that African nations should strive for self-sufficiency and trade rather than relying on foreign aid.
The interview concluded with thoughts on Elon Musk’s interview with Donald Trump. De Beer highlighted Musk’s strategic use of the platform to subtly push his own agendas, such as space exploration and renewable energy. He suggested that a closer relationship between Musk and Trump could emerge if Trump were to regain the presidency, emphasizing the significant viewership and impact of the interview.
Extended transcript of the interview ___STEADY_PAYWALL___
00:00:13:23 – 00:00:30:04
Chris Steyn
Just when I thought Neil de Beer and I would have nothing to talk about this Sunday, we’ve had a hell of a week in South African politics. Welcome to Neil de Beer, the President of the United Independent Movement, for his weekly show with BizNews. Morning, Neil, how are you?
00:00:30:20 – 00:00:57:05
Neil de Beer
South Africa is a gift that just keeps on giving. I mean, you can’t stop it. So, firstly, may I say trifactor, hurrah South Africa. The Proteas did it. They won. The Springboks, Bokke, they won. And Dricus Du Plessis told the world how a koeksister looks like. At the end of the day, hulle weet nog steeds nie wat ons blêrrie weet nie. So trifactor, South Africa.
00:00:57:11 – 00:01:00:12
Neil de Beer
How can a person not smile?
00:01:00:14 – 00:01:12:12
Chris Steyn
Quite, but let me take you to the once glorious City of Johannesburg, now in serious decay. What is your take on what happened there this week?
00:01:12:13 – 00:01:37:22
Neil de Beer
You know, in Afrikaans, I’m going to struggle to put it in English. I’m going to say as jy dom, astrant en arrogant raak. I don’t know how you do that. Dumb, arrogant, and obnoxious. My grandmother said: As jy dom, astrant, en arrogant raak, gaan jy val. And, I am sorry. This is what happened this week in Jo’burg.
00:01:37:22 – 00:02:24:14
Neil de Beer
Metro when they elected Dada Morero with a vote of 189 and the DA 60. Something went wrong. And I’ll tell you what went wrong. Once again, the DA, for whatever reason, decided to go against every norm of the newfound era of coalition. What is more a mishap in this matter is that the DA in the national GNU, with the ANC as an embedded coalition partner, self-agreed by them, did not go to the ANC at Joburg level and say, can we not duplicate what we’re doing on the national level?
00:02:24:15 – 00:02:51:07
Neil de Beer
They absolutely refused, then mooted their own candidate, who was dead in the water from the beginning. And now they lost. And what we said to the people was this will not be just a pro-Dada Morero vote; it will be an anti-previous mayor vote because we all agree this was a clown without the confirmation of a circus. I’m blatant, he meant nothing.
00:02:51:09 – 00:03:13:22
Neil de Beer
So we have a new Mayor. The bad thing to me is that he’s put some of the old cronies back in again. I think that is just the awarding as cronies do. But the hope, Chris, is that when we have this Mayor, where the majority, an overwhelming majority, voted now to get stability in the city can get support.
00:03:13:22 – 00:03:41:11
Neil de Beer
If there’s a metro that needs stability, it is Joburg Metro, the once Egoli of this country. So we hope that we can perform on certain levels, but very dumbstruck about Dada removing the DA. And I’m sorry to tell you, I think it’s going to spread to the next-door neighbour of Tshwane if rumours are true.
00:03:41:13 – 00:03:57:08
Chris Steyn
I’ve heard the same rumour, Neil. It seems that the Freedom Front Plus and ActionSA now trust the ANC more than the Democratic Alliance. And I have an idea that ActionSA is heading for Tshwane to oust the DA.
00:03:57:10 – 00:04:24:17
Neil de Beer
Well, it would be a great pity. May I say on this matter, and I know what I’m talking about, I would find it a sad moment if Cilliers Brink had to be removed. I am an undisputed fan. I know the man. I’ve met him. He is a solid, solid leader and has only the best intent for Tshwane. I had the privilege of a coffee with him and his people, and I found him extraordinary.
00:04:24:17 – 00:05:04:12
Neil de Beer
May I say bright? It will therefore be a loss though if they remove the DA and lose the Mayor. But be that as it may, what is really unfolding, we spoke about Cape Town, the DA, Freedom Front Plus. I now hear rumblings on the drum that Dr. Corné Mulder is asking the DA to go to mediation. So I understand from certain outlets that there is a willingness from the Freedom Front Plus in the Western Cape to get an outside independent arbitrator to sit and see if they can patch up these wounds.
00:05:04:14 – 00:05:30:00
Neil de Beer
But two have already folded. Langeberg has gone. Oudtshoorn is gone. And if they don’t stop this, you will see these small implosions, as you said, where you are looking at places where the Freedom Front, ActionSA, and ANC, and funny enough, that is half of the MPC, and the other progressive side. Watch this space.
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00:05:30:05 – 00:05:35:16
Neil de Beer
There’s going to be a hell of a week on ourselves coming, and the domestic politics is just going to get worse.
00:05:35:21 – 00:05:51:08
Chris Steyn
Well, I think the biggest shock of the week was Deputy Economic Freedom Fighters leader, Floyd Shivambu, defecting to MK. What do you make of that? Is defection the right word?
00:05:51:10 – 00:06:06:23
Neil de Beer
Nyiko Floyd Shivambu. I always say the only time they use all your names is at your funeral or when you’re getting baptized. His name is Nyiko Floyd Shivambu, Albertus Cornelius de Beer. Wait for that front page.
00:06:07:11 – 00:06:08:21
Chris Steyn
I’m not joining in there. Go on.
00:06:08:21 – 00:06:33:22
Neil de Beer
Absolutely interesting. Founder member of the EFF in 2013. But the interesting stuff is you always have to go back to the roots. Chris, I always say, party maal plant jy ’n pampoen and you get an avocado. We always seem to not go back to the roots. What you planted and the outcome don’t always match.
00:06:34:04 – 00:07:05:06
Neil de Beer
So I want to go back to the roots so that we absolutely understand the effect this will have. When in 2013, Julius Malema was expelled as the President of the Youth League and abruptly left, it must be clear that Floyd Shivambu, who was on the NEC of that Youth League, was not expelled. He left of his own accord to follow Julius.
00:07:05:08 – 00:07:34:02
Neil de Beer
This is vital to understand on the principle of loyalty of the so-called bromance, this bro-ship, specifically between those two. The other one was Ramola, the ex-Minister of Justice, now International Affairs. Those were the three main pinnacle guys that people don’t know were in the NEC of the ANC Youth League. So this comes from 11 years ago.
00:07:34:04 – 00:07:58:00
Neil de Beer
And that’s why Julius says this is a person who’s resigning from himself. We’ve got to dissect the letter. There are four points in that letter that are tick boxes to say hierdie ding maak seer. This, in the face of Julius, when you look at his body language, which I am a specialist in, coming from where I come from in intelligence. I look at your body language.
00:07:58:02 – 00:08:27:13
Neil de Beer
There are about 12 points on a person’s body that predict certain matters of fear, excitement, sadness, surrender. I looked at that. My analysis, and I might be wrong because now we’re asked to be the prophet again, and I don’t always get it wrong, but my current analysis: Hy is moer toe! When I looked at that man, there is no way that he was managing an event that was staged.
00:08:27:15 – 00:08:55:12
Neil de Beer
I think he was really shocked. His statement that when he got the letter from Nyiko Floyd Shivambu, it was like the same when he got the message of the passing of his mother. Secondly, he said that this is a founder of this. Thirdly, he said that if he ever wanted to come back, he may. And fourthly, that he will always remain his brother.
00:08:55:18 – 00:09:21:18
Neil de Beer
These are things in Floyd’s letter and then the rebuff from Julius that makes me think this was really a mutation and a surprise. Now, the ramification from this is that Manyi also left. And in Julius’ submission, he said, and don’t be surprised if there will be a few others because of the loyalty to the deputy president.
00:09:21:20 – 00:09:47:03
Neil de Beer
Now, Chris, my analysis is that they don’t get on. There’s been a power struggle. There have been many times that Julius has treated him with contempt, and there are places where we know at the end of this year it is the EFF conference, and I’m telling you now, Julius, although being sad and maybe being shocked, is sighing with relief because he no longer has the probability that Floyd was going to challenge him at the end of the year.
00:09:47:05 – 00:10:15:16
Neil de Beer
The failure of Floyd to bring votes as he was instructed in KZN is another matter, and undoubtedly, and this is true, the VBS matter is not going away. And if you unpack the VBS accusations, Floyd and his brother are the main contenders under a huge spotlight for taking the money. Take all of this.
00:10:15:18 – 00:10:52:01
Neil de Beer
No wonder the move was that he would now move to what seems to be a formulation in MK of a cabal of people that currently face charges, have been charged, and are absolutely unethical, and that is the standpoint. What is going to be interesting is that Malema said he will not be replacing anyone within the deputy presidency until the conference. Power struggle, mutation of challengers, absolute degradation of their relationship, and who knows what MK promised him.
00:10:52:03 – 00:10:59:05
Chris Steyn
Now, there’s much speculation about that, Vice Presidency, etc., etc. But we’ll have to see.
00:10:59:07 – 00:11:43:10
Neil de Beer
Sorry, just plugging in. Chris, yeah, I think one interesting fact is I’d like to read the following names: Jacob Zuma, Brian Molefe, Andile Mngxitama, Siyabonga Gama, Floyd Shivambu, Dr. John Thloloe, Lucky Montana, and Mr. Manyi. If you had to create a “Most Wanted” poster of the ten most unscrupulous individuals accused of harming this country on all levels—state capture, SOE collapse, and arguably the country’s collapse—that’s your list right there.
00:11:43:12 – 00:12:19:03
Neil de Beer
What we are seeing is that there is no doubt the precursor of the 15 members of Parliament to be unsworn out of the MK seats, and we are awaiting the list of the 15 new ones. This one might have caught Julius by surprise, but definitely not MK. This was orchestrated, is orchestrated, and planned. The question we must ask ourselves now is, what is the next move?
00:12:19:05 – 00:12:49:20
Neil de Beer
And we can all agree that the Umkhonto we Sizwe party, led by Jabulani Khumalo, is sitting there as a spectator of death. Let me quickly tell you, Jacob Zuma hammered him, his family annihilated him—and I must tell you, listening to his interview and having spoken to him before, he’s naive. He found himself in a cauldron of hyenas.
00:12:49:22 – 00:13:04:09
Neil de Beer
And, Chris, I don’t think he was prepared for the major onslaught from the Zuma family and the people who were brought into the dark. I think in your interview, surely you picked that up.
00:13:06:18 – 00:13:20:19
Chris Steyn
I did. Neil, I wonder if we might briefly go to the battle to get prosecutions of people fingered before the Zondo Commission. That is taking another turn now.
00:13:20:21 – 00:13:52:14
Neil de Beer
Chris, again, may I—I want to be factual. You know, getting old, memory not there. Maar ek is nog sterk. I want to read you this. I mean, I’ve just read you a list of the cabal of people now cohorting into a public political party in Parliament. But I’m going to read a couple of names. Some of them are repetitive, but I’ll put it on record.
00:13:52:16 – 00:14:41:15
Neil de Beer
Jacob Zuma, Ace Magashule, Brian Molefe, Dudu Myeni, Malusi Gigaba, Anoj Singh, Nomvula Mokonyane, Gwede Mantashe, and Lynne Brown. Of that list of the ten most powerful individuals in the ANC who were not vindicated on the Zondo list, which stated they must be prosecuted—those who, in fact, have a case to answer—not one of them is donning the orange uniform under Oom Pieter.
00:14:41:17 – 00:15:37:22
Neil de Beer
Now, what’s happening, as news from the underground suggests, is that the Investigative Directorate, appointed by the President—the same President Ramaphosa of Phala Phala—who said that the ANC in this regard is Accused Number One, is now rumoured to be trying to get access to all the files and evidentiary material from the Department of Justice and the Ministry of Justice. They are currently having to subpoena or summon certain members to get the information.
00:15:38:00 – 00:16:06:04
Neil de Beer
Now, if this is true, and it is true, what a shocking indictment on the continual statements of these people saying that we’re going to stop looting, that the current coalition is going to turn things around, and that they’re going to make things better with zero corruption. Well, here we sit today, and it’s not true. We spent billions on the Zondo Commission, three years, more than 16 volumes.
00:16:06:06 – 00:16:29:21
Neil de Beer
And those ten names I just mentioned, some of them are sitting in MK. So a person has to now ask, is this going to be acceptable to Mr. X, to you and me? Is this the kind of leadership that we are just going to accept, that we are going to say is now the apex standard of leadership? And it cannot be.
00:16:29:23 – 00:16:53:09
Neil de Beer
And that is why this GNU is going to have to get up and start saying there are certain parameters that we need sorted out before we can sit back in the next five years. And I’m sorry, the Zondo Commission is one, and we have to charge them, we have to bring them to book, and we have to have justice served.
00:16:53:11 – 00:17:11:15
Neil de Beer
Otherwise, this is a farce, and we are just going to perpetuate the idea that no matter what you do, you can still be described as a political leader in this Republic of South Africa. No, no, not on my watch, not on your watch, and surely not on the watch of the millions of normal citizens.
00:17:11:17 – 00:17:41:15
Chris Steyn
Quite, Neil. I wonder if I could take you regionally to a very interesting person, Ibrahim Traoré, the youngest serving president in the world. And he’s fast becoming the poster boy for self-sufficiency in Africa. Is he the leader of the African Revolution? He’s turning down IMF loans, saying no to the West. He’s turning down support from Wagner, the Russian-backed group.
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00:17:41:17 – 00:17:46:02
Chris Steyn
He’s saying no to the East. What do you make of him?
00:17:46:04 – 00:18:20:16
Neil de Beer
I think it’s a romantic innuendo. Let’s say this is real, because seemingly it is. A young captain in the military of Burkina Faso takes over, obviously in a military coup, but immediately says that all members of Parliament will get a 60% slash on their salary, and that he will not take a presidential salary but will remain on the salary scale of a captain in the military.
00:18:20:18 – 00:18:53:22
Neil de Beer
Secondly, when the Dogs of War—let’s call them the Wild Geese—came in, Wagner being one of them, absolute mercenary dogs of war, and asked if they could assist, he said, “No, thank you. Keep your claws where you are.” Secondly, he goes to international meetings in his combat uniform, and I laugh because he even kept his combat gloves on while shaking leaders’ hands.
00:18:54:00 – 00:19:30:17
Neil de Beer
He went in his fatigues. And when the IMF, knowing the wealth of Burkina Faso, went there with the President of France (because they are an ex-French colony), he told both the IMF and the previous coloniser to go to hell. But he told them so firmly that they started closing their offices. So here’s a young man, and I don’t endorse all of the scenarios, but let me quickly tell you, this man decided—there’s no question he’s going to be a dictator.
00:19:30:19 – 00:19:58:01
Neil de Beer
But he went to the ground, he met the people, and the people agreed. When he asked to renew his leadership for another five years—remember, this is a guy in military uniform who took over a democracy and expelled all the people in Parliament—the country said, “We want you for another five years.” So, I don’t know, but I think that he’s not wrong in his attitude.
00:19:58:03 – 00:20:27:09
Neil de Beer
It’s time that people in their own vested countries stop relying on the West, stop relying on the woke ideology, stop becoming this absolute liberal synopsis of ideology that suggests we cannot stand on our own. But let me quickly tell you, Chris, for a country to say no to the World Bank, the IMF, the West, and that whole scenario, it takes rugby balls.
00:20:27:11 – 00:20:58:03
Neil de Beer
It takes every kind of courage to get up and say, “No, no, we have our own gold, our own gas, our own oil.” And here’s the thing: the day that people on this continent, Chris, move from aid—removing that one hand—from aid, you’re going to hear it here first, to trade. It’s one hand, Chris. Africa must stop doing aid.
00:20:58:05 – 00:21:24:18
Neil de Beer
We must move to trade, and we must be independent, self-sustainable, and market our goods. Because, damn, if it’s not the Proteas, Dricus, and the Bokke, then at the end of the day, how much prouder could we be if South Africa’s President got up and said, “No, thank you. We don’t want your help, we don’t need your loans, we are going to monetize SA first.” So, up to this man, you know, I would make him a general tomorrow, but he just doesn’t want to. He stays a captain, and maybe this is the real African Renaissance that we need.
00:21:37:18 – 00:21:53:13
Chris Steyn
I think we’ll keep a close watch on him, and how he inspires other countries and leaders. And just to another South African, Elon Musk’s interview with Donald Trump—what a viewership. Neil, I don’t think you and I are going to match that. Unless you do something unthinkable, we might. Okay, go ahead.
00:21:53:15 – 00:21:54:00
Neil de Beer
Oh.
00:21:54:02 – 00:21:55:22
Chris Steyn
You know, I don’t think you and I are going to match—
00:21:55:22 – 00:21:57:19
Neil de Beer
The one-minute. I’ll never mention.
00:21:57:22 – 00:22:04:15
Chris Steyn
Unless you do something unthinkable. We might—go, go, go on.
00:22:04:17 – 00:22:29:21
Neil de Beer
Well, maybe running with a Speedo, naked, on Camps Bay Beach—I don’t know if anybody wants to see that, it would be highly unlikely. But let me quickly tell you, two hours, more than 60 million views in the first five hours. I listened to the two hours. Now, there’s one thing you must understand. I don’t care what you think of Donald Trump. I don’t care if you’re pro-him or anti-him, but he has become the master of insults. I mean, this man insults you, and not only insults you, but makes it so popular that other people, the next day, start using your insults. So, he called her “Laughing Kamala” because she laughs at everything. He called him “Sleepy Joe,” and everybody concurred. And don’t forget when he was fighting Hillary Clinton, he called her “Crooked Hillary.”
00:23:04:03 – 00:23:31:19
Neil de Beer
And immediately, the next day, they never referred back to Hillary Clinton; they said “Crooked Hillary” and “Sleepy Joe” and “Laughing Kamala.” He’s very good at that. And for the whole two hours, he couldn’t help himself but call people “stupid” and “idiots.” And he got away with it by saying that if he didn’t turn his head to look at a chart about immigration, he would have been dead.
00:23:31:23 – 00:23:57:16
Neil de Beer
So, it is a sign from God—this is verbatim—that he has to focus much more on immigration. So, yeah, what a stark reality. What did they get from it? Let’s end there. What did Elon Musk gain from it, and what did Donald Trump take away from it? Because this was done for a reason.
00:23:57:18 – 00:24:31:01
Neil de Beer
In my opinion, Elon Musk, maybe the richest human being on Earth, gained extra support in who he is and what he is—not that he needs it. Secondly, I noticed a couple of opinions from Elon that shadowed through the questions he was asking Donald Trump. Some of it was bordering on saying, “When we do the space program, we need more endorsement and more authority.”
00:24:31:03 – 00:25:04:14
Neil de Beer
Secondly, when we speak about renewable energy, we need to ensure that America becomes the authority on renewable energy—Tesla. And thirdly, he was going into debates, which is very odd, about medicine and modern medicine. There was a 10-minute debate between Elon and Donald about certain medications banned in America but approved in Europe. Why would he say that?
00:25:04:16 – 00:25:16:22
Neil de Beer
So, watch this space. If Donald Trump becomes President, you are without a doubt going to see a closer relationship between Elon Musk and Donald Trump. That’s my synopsis.
00:25:16:22 – 00:25:26:16
Chris Steyn
And Musk very subtly put his wish list on the table there. So, Donald knows what he has to do to say thank you for that interview.
00:25:26:18 – 00:25:30:21
Neil de Beer
I would argue, not so subtle, yes.
00:25:30:23 – 00:25:44:15
Chris Steyn
Well, thank you. That was Neil de Beer, the President of the United Independent Movement, taking BizNews viewers through local, regional, and international politics on his Sunday spot. Thank you, Neil.
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