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Their conversation explores US democracy, the Trump presidency, South Africa’s foreign policy, and the future of US-SA relations in a high-stakes debate on power, sovereignty, and ideology in a shifting global order.
Produced by: Emilie Gambade & Bernard Kotze
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Just listened to the intriguing interview . One factually incorrect assertion that journalists as well as commentators regularly continue to make, is that Trump has/had an 'overwhelming' mandate to do what he is. The facts are that Biden in 2020 secured (to the nearest million) 81m votes compared to Trumps 77m in '24 (4m fewer) and just 2m more than Kamala at 75m in '24. That this somehow constitutes a 'overwhelming' mandate should be questioned and probably constitutes hyperbole of the highest order. Not uncommon in 'politics' !
Do you understand what federalism means, and that each state in the US was in fact at one stage a "sovereign country", that voluntarily agreed to join the USA on condition that the vote of their own "citizens" are not diluted and that the potato farmer in Idaho is not overruled by that of the surfer in California as California has a bigger population?
Do you think this style of questioning is effective or comes off as smug and wishy washy? Do you think you are adding to the conversation or are you just muddying waters? Does putting a question mark at the end of a sentence make you a philosopher or just someone deeply ignorant of politics and history?
Yup, the USA is not really a democracy where everyone's vote is equal.
Not true: the 13 states that fought for independence were British colonies, who then formed the USA under a single government with some state-level authority, but were never sovereign states. Six states - Texas, Hawaii, Vermont, Rhode Island, Oregon and The Republic of West Florida - were independent at one time, with most only independent for a matter of months, other than Texas (10 years) and Hawaii. Most states were annexed by the US or bought (Alaska, Louisiana). So not very voluntary.
FH correctly says SAn taxpayer paid for the ICJ case against Israel. Mr Pollak maybe should know that the SA government spends taxpayers money rather wildly. The real issue is if Iran paid the ANC! And sort out its internal financial mess. And the ANC in turn used its people’s service delivery money for the court case to appease Iran. If Pollak would’ve said that, FH wouldn’t have gleefully won that argument.
The ICJ case is absolutely worthy. Based on our recent history, we were the only ones who could do it (or do you know of another country aside from israel that has apartheid-like laws?). If you cannot see that, one has to wonder where your humanity has gone.
It was great witnessing Pollack checkmate her on the Hawks announcement on treason charges against Afriforum (stutter stutter stutter), and how she tried to scurry away just like when October 7 is mentioned, and SA and Kill the Boer vs Amalek and the term being misused. Should have mentioned the hostages too. Just shook my head at her interpretation of sovereignty, that it only works one way, and if USA sovereignty works against SA, terms like chain saw and solidarity etc are mentioned. Rather be realistic and fight Aids at cause level than via USAID. The ANC truly is a miserable failure, Johannesburg agrees. Ferial Haffejee, Rebecca Davis, biased journalism, three birds, one stone. No more one rule for me, another rule for thee.
Bias is in the eye of the beholder. My friend Neville Alexander use to point out that there is no such thing as 'objectivity' or 'balance' . We all operate from one or other or multiple 'value/s' and position/s. Leave the cheering on and checkmating to sport fanatics.
Despite DT’s claims of inheriting an “economic catastrophe,” the U.S. economy was strong when he took office, with steady growth, low unemployment, and a robust stock market. Since then, tariffs and rising trade tensions have shaken investor confidence, increased market volatility, and strained key sectors. With global supply chains disrupted and no clear path forward, uncertainty looms and the risk of policy missteps is rising.
Ferial, please consider the following from the ordinary SA citizens' point of view before expressing how proud you are about the ICJ case: How many Palestinian and/or Israeli hostage’s lives were saved? Did the court case lengthen or shorten the war? Did it harden of soften the attitude of Hamas? How many SA lives will be lost due to the cutting USAID etc.? How many SA jobs and revenue linked to AGOA are at risk? The total financial cost to SA if the ANC digs in on the case?
Maybe you should just ask a simple question : is defending apartheid ever O.K.?
please provide a transcript.
Thanks for this. Didn't know that these Power Chats existed. I like the long form interview.
I find it interesting that Ferial Haffajee vigourously defends the SA government for paying with our tax money for the ICJ case against Israel when Joal Pollak rasied the question of Iran funding the case. That is frankly naive from her, as the real question is was the ANC (the political party and not the government) bribed to take the case on, with our tax money?
I was really hoping Ferial would school an "American" for his self-importance and how out of touch he is with the rest of the world. I was sorely dissapointed.
