Prof Theo Venter - 2026: Trump, the ANC, the GNU, AfriForum and Solidarity…

In his latest interview with Chris Steyn, Political and Policy Specialist, Professor Theo Venter, urges South Africa to “get off the hobby horse of following the ANC foreign policy…because we are swimming stream up…we’ve got a difficulty reading the room temperature globally, where we fit in.” He says recent world events, “must force the South African government to seriously rethink our foreign relations…” He points out that South Africa’s “very weakened diplomatic relation” with the Americans will not get it sorted out until the Government of National Unity (GNU) plays “a significant role as a collective” rather than just the ANC. “What we hear is the Lamola approach to international relations with his advisors and they are a very specific group in the ANC and I think they are extremely inexperienced in these difficult kinds of situations…” Professor Venter urges discussions with AfriForum and Solidarity as well “because without them talking to the government, I think we're not going to make any progress…the fact that the Presidency is ignoring the requests of those interest groups… sends the wrong signal. And while the Americans are watching us, I think this may also be progress if we can do that.”