Polish Trump’s ego - or pay a “very dear” price…

Loading player...
South Africa's strained relationship with the United States has been dealt a second blow with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s decision to boycott the G20 Summit in Johannesburg. In this interview with economist Dawie Roodt, he warns: “I think it's pretty much a given that we will not be part of AGOA that much longer - unless we really start taking extraordinary measures to get on the good side of Donald Trump. And if the relations deteriorate even further, I think there's a possibility that it could be some further actions against South Africa, something like levies or import duties. And we have to understand that if we don't polish this guy's ego for one, many other things that we need to do as well….If we don't do that, we're going to pay a very dear price. And South Africa simply cannot afford that.” Roodt also gives his take on Elon Musk’s role in the White House. And in his latest economic forecast, Roodt says: “We are in trouble. And it's not only Donald Trump that causes all of that. A lot of that is homemade because of the wrong policies that we've been following locally for, in fact, many decades.”
6 Feb 2025 7AM English South Africa Investing · Business News

Other recent episodes

Ebola outbreak in DRC grabs global attention - perfect storm of war, fear, and disease

John McDermott explores the unfolding Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, unpacking how transmission occurs, why the crisis is spreading, and what makes this strain particularly dangerous. He examines strained health systems, limited aid funding, and the challenge of vaccine development. The discussion situates the outbreak within broader…
4 Jun 7AM 26 min

Athol Trollip: Government’s FMD response is a “national disaster”

Athol Trollip delivers a blistering critique of South Africa’s handling of the foot-and-mouth disease crisis, arguing that government bureaucracy and a state-controlled vaccination strategy are failing farmers and allowing the outbreak to spread. Drawing on decades of farming experience, the ActionSA parliamentary leader says commercial farmers should be empowered to…
4 Jun 4AM 32 min

Kabelo Khumalo - Inside the Black Market of illegal number plates

A Business Day investigation has pried open South Africa's black market for number plates and found the price of entry close to nothing. In this interview with Irakli, Business Day Deputy Editor Kabelo Khumalo explains how reporters walked out of three Johannesburg establishments with plates after doing just one thing…
3 Jun 7AM 11 min