Friday, 11 April 2025

Trump-ing America's Spotlight

South Africa's problems with America predate the Trump administration, Barnard Beukman, ex-editor of the now defunct daily newspaper Beeld, said at the weekly meeting of the Rotary Club of Johannesburg New Dawn on Wednesday.

The country's relationship with Iran had America questioning our participation in the Agoa project before Donald Trump was swept into office for a second term on a wave of populism and economic grievances.

Trump has aimed an uncomfortable spotlight on South African foreign policies that are seen as acting against the interests of the Western world and even before the Republican victory questions were being asked if this qualified the country to be a beneficiary of the Africa Growth and Opportunities Act.

                                    Barnard Beukman addressing the club

Beukman edited the Afrikaans daily for six years before it was shut down in December last year along with a number of other titles in the Media24 stable. He has since retired, but remains active as a consultant, he told the club. This was his third visit to New Dawn.

Trump, he said, became USA President by leveraging legitimate grievances of a diverse electorate, not just those of right-wing Republicans.

People were and are fed up with career politicians who make the same promises over and over. He and his team knew how to exploit that. How people rate the success or otherwise of the delivery on his promises, will reflect in the mid-term elections in two years' time and at the next presidential election four years from now.

            Mike Vink, Barnard Beukman and President Jankees Sligcher at the meeting

A negative fallout of the tariff wars and other Trump administration initiatives is that it is forcing people to the extremes. Ironically, the tyranny of woke-ness help create the atmosphere in which he thrives; one where there is no middle ground left. The far left or the far right become the only choices left. You're either for Trump or you're against him.

South Africa's woes are not just related to America; the government of national unity is presently split over the budget. The ANC itself is divided because of a strong component who never wanted to go into government with the DA and people like Deputy President Paul Mashatile are becoming more vocal in wanting the DA out.

                           President Jankees with Amina Frense

There was a wasted opportunity because if all the other parties had stood against the ANC about a VAT increase, they would have been able to vote the proposal down.

South Africa remains a good place to invest and is seen as such overseas, he said. Even though there are problems with the implementation of economic empowerment policies, which are often seen as barriers to investment in South Africa, he still believes that people who do not have the benefit of centuries of wealth, need to be given opportunities.

All in all, he believes there is still a lot of good news to hope for in South Africa, Beukman said.

                 The fence at the Word of Hope school in Soweto is going up

In other news: Work on the fence around the Word of Hope School in Soweto, run by club member Gertrude Miyaka, is in full swing. Costs have been kept to a minimum by sourcing mostly second-hand material.

The fence is being funded by the club and a generous grant of GBP1000 from the Rotary Club of Luton Someries in the UK. Getrude has commandeered locals, including hostel dwellers, to help erect the fence and to safeguard it and the children going forward.

                             Rev. Nick Bell

Honorary member Nick Bell, who attended the meeting, was instrumental in setting up the contact between the Rotary clubs of New Dawn and Luton Someries. Nick and his wife are visiting South Africa, where their daughter lives, for Easter.



Speaking of Easter: Judy Symons is coordinating an Easter Egg collection for the Woodside Sanctuary, another one of New Dawn's signature projects. There's still a week to go, so please help Judy with donations either in the form of cash or bring Easter eggs to the meeting on Wednesday.

Housekeeping: After a long absence, this blog resumes as a monthly exercise. When events require, it will appear more than once a month.

A Thought for the Weeks Ahead: Tact is the ability to describe others as they see themselves. - Abraham Lincoln (1809 - 1865)

 



No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.