In this episode, Rob Hersov brings together two heavyweight thinkers – economist Dawie Roodt and investment strategist Anthony Ginsberg, a South African now based in California – to unpack the complex web of trade, tariffs, and geopolitics shaping the country’s economic future.
From citrus exports and auto industry woes to the 30% U.S. tariff shock, this discussion dives into whether South Africa’s leaders are doing enough to secure a fair trade deal with Washington.
There is, in fact, movement on the narrow trade issues, according to Ginsberg, who credits Trade Minister Parks Tau for pushing negotiations forward, although he believes Tau is operating with one hand possibly tied behind his back.
Roodt brings his trademark clarity to South Africa’s economic malaise. He points out that with growth hovering below 1% and per capita incomes falling for nearly two decades, even a small hit from tariffs could be devastating. The real obstacle to progress, according to Roodt, lies in ideology and policy paralysis.
