Rob Rose and Zukile Majova are joined by Patrick Smith from Africa Confidential for episode 25 of Sharp Sharp, the weekly podcast on politics, money and power from the Financial Mail and Scrolla.Africa.
The Trump administration has announced targeted visa restrictions for foreign nationals involved in race-based discrimination, repeating its claims that South Africa is persecuting Afrikaners. Rob, Zuks and Patrick ask why Washington remains committed to this distorted picture, what it could mean for business and diplomacy, and whether anyone can repair relations between the two countries.
The conversation turns to the women whose bodies were found across Ekurhuleni. The team examines South Africa’s failure to confront gender-based violence, the collapse of trust in the police, and why crime has not become a major election issue.
They also unpack Fikile Mbalula’s court battle with Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma over allegations of vote buying within the ANC. Mbalula denies the claims. The episode ends with Africa’s successful campaign for the United Nations to use maps that show the continent at its true scale.