South Africa’s Collapse Finally Exposed | Rob Hersov

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Rubin Report – "South Africa’s Collapse Finally Exposed | Rob Hersov"

Release Date: March 6, 2025

Hosts and Guests:

• Host: Dave Rubin
• Guest: Rob Herzov

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Introduction to Rob Herzov

In this episode of The Rubin Report, Dave Rubin welcomes Rob Herzov, a prominent South African businessman and activist. Herzov provides a brief background, outlining his journey from a privileged upbringing in South Africa to a successful international career and his eventual return to his homeland as an outspoken critic of the current government.

Notable Quote:

"I'm 64 years old. I'm fifth generation South African and I was born into real wealth in South Africa... In 2017, after 31 years overseas, I went back to South Africa. And in addition to business, I became an accidental activist, a capitalist activist."
— Rob Herzov [01:05]

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South Africa’s Declining State Under ANC Governance

Herzov delves into the deteriorating metrics of South Africa over the past three decades under the African National Congress (ANC). He highlights significant declines in health, education, and employment, attributing the country's economic and infrastructural woes to the ineptitude and corruption within the ANC-led government.

Key Points:

• Economic Decline: All state-owned enterprises have faced bankruptcy, including South African Airways and the Eskom Electricity Supply Commission.
• Infrastructure Failures: Persistent load shedding has left the country without electricity for hours daily, and the rail network is in ruins.
• Government Critique: The ANC is described as a "racist, kleptocratic, and ineptocratic" regime that has systematically dismantled South Africa's progress.

Notable Quote:

"But for 30 years, if you look at every single metric, health, education, employment, the country has gone backwards. Every state owned enterprise has been bankrupted... The ANC has destroyed our country. And it is a racist, kleptocratic and ineptocratic government."
— Andy Rubin [00:00]

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The Racist Policies of the ANC Government

The conversation shifts to the racial dynamics perpetuated by the current South African government. Herzov asserts that the ANC has enacted numerous race-based laws that disadvantage white South Africans, contributing to systemic racism entrenched within the nation's legal framework.

Key Points:

• Race-Based Legislation: Herzov mentions "140 race based laws in South Africa, all anti-white," emphasizing the government's targeted policies against white citizens.
• Expropriation Without Compensation: A recent law signed by President Cyril Ramaphosa allows for the expropriation of property without compensation, further marginalizing white landowners and businesses.
• Impact on Business: These laws create an inhospitable environment for businesses, stifling economic growth and entrepreneurship.

Notable Quotes:

"140 Race based laws in South Africa, all anti white. And eight days ago, Cyril Ramaphosa, our president, signed into law and just hear these three words, expropriation without compensation... it's anti white race based and make it almost impossible for businesses to thrive."
— Rob Herzov [03:55]

"I liken it to having a loaded gun in the bedroom with kids running around. At some point somebody's gonna pull the trigger and that's what this law is."
— Rob Herzov [05:48]

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Economic Crisis and Unemployment

Herzov paints a grim picture of South Africa's economic state, citing less than 1% economic growth and an unemployment rate soaring to 40%. These statistics underscore the urgent need for comprehensive economic reform and external intervention to avert further decline.

Key Points:

• Stagnant Growth: The economy is struggling with negligible growth, failing to create adequate employment opportunities.
• Unemployment Rate: At 40%, unemployment is depicted as one of the highest in the world, exacerbating social and economic instability.
• Need for Leadership: Herzov calls for transformative leadership, akin to figures like Donald Trump, to spearhead the necessary changes.

Notable Quote:

"We're at less than 1% economic growth, less than 1% and we have the highest unemployment in the world. 40%. 40% to unsustainable."
— Rob Herzov [06:32]

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Call for External Intervention and Solutions

Herzov emphasizes that internal mechanisms within South Africa may be insufficient to reverse the nation's decline. He advocates for external pressure, particularly from the United States and influential figures like former President Donald Trump, to enact meaningful change.

Key Points:

• Awaiting 2029 Elections: While internal change is uncertain, Herzov remains pessimistic about the government's ability to reform before the next national elections.
• American Support: He urges the U.S. to take a more active role in pressuring the ANC government through sanctions and other measures.
• Targeted Measures: Suggestions include placing ANC leaders on terrorist lists, banning their bank accounts, and maximizing diplomatic pressure to isolate South Africa economically and politically.

Notable Quotes:

"He needs to, and I'm very grateful he's focused on us and I want to thank all the Americans for this. He needs to force the ANC government to reverse these racial laws."
— Rob Herzov [07:06]

"They need to focus on sanctions. And please put all the bad guys, the leaders of the ANC... put them on the terrorist list, put them on the no travel list, ban their bank accounts."
— Rob Herzov [07:35]

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Impact on Technology and Global Business

The restrictive laws have broader implications, including the hindrance of technological advancements and global business operations within South Africa. Herzov cites the absence of Elon Musk's Starlink in the country as a direct consequence of enforced black ownership requirements for businesses.

Key Points:

• Starlink Absence: Due to laws mandating 30% black ownership, companies like Elon Musk's Starlink are hesitant to operate in South Africa.
• Entrepreneurial Spirit: Despite the challenges, South Africa is home to some of the world's most successful entrepreneurs, such as Elon Musk, Patrick Sue, and Chong.
• Brain Drain: Herzov acknowledges the loss of top talent and entrepreneurs, attributing it to the hostile business environment fostered by the ANC government.

Notable Quotes:

"They need to reverse these racial laws. Do you know that most African countries have Starlink? ELON musk starlink we don't because we have a law that every business in South Africa has to have 30% black ownership."
— Rob Herzov [07:35]

"The two richest people in Los Angeles are South African born Elon, Musk, Patrick sue and Chong. We are the best entrepreneurs."
— Rob Herzov [08:42]

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Conclusion and Final Thoughts

The episode concludes with Herzov expressing gratitude towards America for its attention and potential support. He underscores the necessity for sustained pressure on the ANC government to implement reforms that can steer South Africa away from economic ruin and racial discord.

Notable Quotes:

"So every piece of pressure America and Trump can put on South Africa I think they need to do but need to go way further than tariffs and canceling AGOA agreements. They need to focus on sanctions."
— Rob Herzov [07:35]

"Thank you America for everything you're doing. Keep it up, up the pressure, please."
— Rob Herzov [08:48]

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Summary

In this insightful episode of The Rubin Report, Rob Herzov provides a compelling critique of South Africa's current socio-political and economic landscape under the ANC government. He details the systemic decline across various sectors, the implementation of anti-white legislation, and the dire economic indicators that signal an impending crisis. Herzov advocates for robust external intervention, particularly from the United States, to instigate necessary reforms and prevent further deterioration of the nation. His passionate appeal underscores the urgent need for leadership and global support to restore South Africa's prosperity and uphold the principles of free speech and meritocracy.

Transcript

[Dave]

But for 30 years, if you look at every single metric, health, education, employment, the country has gone backwards. Every state owned enterprise has been bankrupted. South African Airways used to be the best airline in Africa. Bankrupt. Eskom Electricity Supply Commission. We don't have enough electricity. We have load shedding, which means four, five, six hours a day, we have no electricity. The rail network's destroyed. The ANC has destroyed our country and it is a racist, kleptocratic and ineptocratic government.

[Rob Herzov]

Rob Herzov of South Africa. You know, one of the beautiful things of coming to this conference is you meet people from all over the world. Everyone is going through their own experience kind of personally and politically in their own countries. South Africa suddenly has gone, gotten on the American map a little bit in the last week or so. But before we get to that, maybe if you could just give me a kind of one minute bio on who you are, how you sort of got into public life and then we can hit the issues.

[Dave]

Sure. I'm 64 years old. I'm fifth generation South African and I was born into real wealth in South Africa. My grandfather founded a big mining industrial business and I spent my education in South Africa. I did university there and I spent two years as an infantry officer in the South African Defense Force in the old days. Then I went to America, Goldman Sachs, Harvard Business School and then I worked as Rupert Murdoch's right hand man for three years in New York. I then went to Europe, more corporate life. Founded MarqueeJet Europe, sold in NetJets and did various entrepreneurial things, had failure, success. And in 2017, after 31 years overseas, I went back to South Africa. And in addition to business, I became an accidental activist, a capitalist activist. I made a speech three and a half years ago that went viral calling out the government. And once I survived, you're a racist card. Because a lot of political people said, you may not like him, but he's not a racist. I have kept going and I've become probably one of the, probably the only business person standing up and speaking out against the ANC government.

[Rob Herzov]

So talk to me about the ANC government and what has kind of put this now on the map from an American perspective where South Africa is just not on the long list of countries that we talk about that often.

[Dave]

Well, I'm glad America's noticed, I really am, because we're on the edge of going into the abyss. The ANC, the Liberation ANC in 1994 took control of the country and they've been running the country with more than 50% of the vote for the last 30 years. And only last year, in 2024, in May, did they drop below 50% were forced to form. It's not even a coalition. It's a group of political parties that have no mission statement and are not doing very much. But the ANC is no longer in control. But for 30 years, if you look at every single metric, health, education, employment, the country has gone backwards. Every state owned enterprise has been bankrupted. South African Airways used to be the best airline in Africa. Bankrupt Eskom Electricity Supply Commission. We don't have enough electricity. We have load shedding, which means four, five, six hours a day, we have no electricity. The rail network's destroyed. The ANC has destroyed our country. And it is a racist, kleptocratic and ineptocratic government.

[Rob Herzov]

So let's talk about the racist part because obviously that's still unfortunately the word of the day. It's a little, I think from an American perspective for people to realize that a government could truly govern in a. I guess it's not that hard in some sense, but that could govern in an actual racist manner when it comes to who's getting what services and what land, et cetera, et cetera.

[Dave]

140 Race based laws in South Africa, all anti white. And eight days ago, Cyril Ramaphosa, our president, signed into law and just hear these three words, expropriation without compensation. And this is just the straw that broke the camel's back. There's been endless laws anti white boiling us like a frog in a bowl. And all I can say is thank you America and thank you Donald Trump for taking notice because we are on the edge of the socialist abyss.

[Rob Herzov]

So how do you guys get out of this? Obviously there's a complex racial history there. How do you reverse some of this? I mean, that's an awful lot of laws.

[Dave]

And I don't think we can internally. We have to wait till the 2029 national election and I don't think our economy will survive. It requires some external dynamic to change it. And I think Donald Trump in America taking notice and coming in swinging with a baseball bat may be that dynamic we need.

[Rob Herzov]

So when you saw over the last couple years in America wokeness infecting our systems and suddenly we were focused on race and we were putting it into it was this said we were systemically racist. That we're putting racism into the system in a systemic way. Must have given you a little concern about the direction we're going. As much as that's now been rolled back.

[Dave]

Well, we've been infected in South Africa with the evil woke mind virus way more than in America. We've got it times two. And there's no momentum in South Africa to reverse it. In fact, it's quite the opposite. So it's been like a miracle that Trump got elected and he's making these decisions to reverse this wokeness because, you know, South Africa needs a big wake up call and it isn't going to come internally.

[Rob Herzov]

What were those three words? It was expropriation without.

[Dave]

Expropriation without compensation.

[Rob Herzov]

So this is in essence, they're taking farms?

[Dave]

Well, they can, yeah. So they haven't implemented it yet. It's been signed into law and it's not just farmland, it's property. They can take the watch of my arm and they barely need to justify it. I mean, I liken it to having a loaded gun in the bedroom with kids running around. At some point somebody's gonna pull the trigger and that's what this law is. And there's so many other laws in South Africa that are anti white race based and make it almost impossible for businesses to thrive. But worst of all, we're at less than 1% economic growth, less than 1% and we have the highest unemployment in the world.

[Rob Herzov]

That's not for sure.

[Dave]

40%. 40% to unsustainable. And the only way to reverse that is to have, you know, a complete change of plan. You know, we need a Malay, we need a Javier Malay or a Trump.

[Rob Herzov]

Or a Trump. So when you see. So when Trump put out that post on Truth Social about a week ago, basically saying that, you know, in essence, that was basically, I don't want to paraphrase it, but something to the effect of white people are being treated unfairly. I mean, that was basically the, the thrust of it. What do you want him to do? Okay, so it's on the map now. So what do you want to come of it?

[Dave]

He needs to, and I'm very grateful he's focused on us and I want to thank all the Americans for this. He needs to force the ANC government to reverse these racial laws. Do you know that most African countries have Starlink? ELON musk starlink we don't because we have a law that every business in South Africa has to have 30% black ownership. And Elon Musk said, I'm not handing over 30% because I have to. We don't have Starlink.

[Rob Herzov]

It's insane.

[Dave]

So every piece of pressure America and Trump can put on South Africa I think they need to do but need to go way further than tariffs and canceling AGOA agreements. They need to focus on sanctions. And please put all the bad guys, the leaders of the ANC eff, which is very bad news and MK parties, put them on the terrorist list, put them on the no travel list, ban their bank accounts. Put maximum pressure on South Africa because China won't come to the rescue of the anc. China is not going to pick a fight with America over South Africa. They'll back off. And remember the ANC government has been bribed by Iran to file the case against Israel in the International Court of Justice paid by Iran. So our ANC government has poked America in the eye for the last 15 years, voted against America on every issue in the United nations and it's payback time.

[Rob Herzov]

Tell me one great thing about your country, the people.

[Dave]

The two richest people in Los Angeles are South African born Elon, Musk, Patrick sue and Chong. We are the best entrepreneurs.

[Rob Herzov]

We've got them though. You got them, you keep taking them.

[Dave]

I don't blame them for going. But thank you America for everything you're doing. Keep it up, up the pressure, please.

[Rob Herzov]

Thank you. I've enjoyed this, Dave.

[Dave]

Thank.

[Rob Herzov]

You.