In this Daily Maverick Power Chat, Ferial Haffajee presses Ernst Roets of the think tank Lex Libertas about his group’s recent campaign in the United States. She asks why its Washington vigil of 3,000 crosses focused on farm-attack victims, why the group took its case abroad rather than to South African institutions, and whether it bears any responsibility if South Africa loses AGOA, as President Cyril Ramaphosa warns of possible exclusion. Roets sets out his positions on each, along with his case for decentralisation.
Hosted by: Ferial Haffajee
Guest: Ernst Roets
Edited by: Joel Seboa
Produced by: Emilie Gambade & Joel Seboa
Original Theme Music & Design by: Bernard Kotze
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This episode of Power Chat is brought to you by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, an organisation dedicated to strengthening democracy and human rights across the world, and creating new momentum for liberalism.
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00:00 – Introduction: The Constitution’s Preamble
02:45 – “A Nation of Nations”
04:20 – Rugby and Unity in Diversity
07:00 – Growing Up in Tzaneen
08:35 – The Washington Campaign
10:30 – Media, Neutrality and Trust
14:20 – The Crosses and Who They Counted
17:15 – Why Take It to the US
20:20 – AGOA, Sanctions and Responsibility
25:30 – South Africa’s Institutions
27:20 – Decentralisation and Self-Government
32:50 – International Models
34:30 – Closing
