Dr Corné Mulder, the leader of the Freedom Front Plus (FF+), has called remarks about Elon Musk and Donald Trump by newly elected Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Geordin Hill-Lewis “alarming” and warned that these will undermine the country’s prospects to attract investment and growth.

Mulder was referring to comments Hill-Lewis had made in a television interview where he was responding to a question about American interest in South African domestic affairs.

The Common Sense reported on those comments yesterday which included calling Mr Trump “reprehensible” and “chuckling” at the idea that Elon Musk was sticking his nose into South African affairs where it did not belong.

See The Common Sense’s editorial on unrelated criticism by the African National Congress (ANC) of Mr Musk here.

In a statement, Mulder said: “It is alarming that the DA’s newly elected leader, Mr Geordin Hill-Lewis, said in a television interview today that he would not hesitate to tell the current Washington leadership and someone such as Musk not to interfere in South Africa’s domestic affairs. Mr Hill-Lewis’s harsh and insulting remarks regarding President Trump, in particular, and his administration will not go unnoticed.”

Hill-Lewis said: “I’m no fan of MAGA and no fan of Mr Trump whatsoever. I think he has put the world in a very dangerous place and, in many ways, he is quite reprehensible, actually. I hold no candle whatsoever for that policy or that administration.”

Mulder said: “Neither Elon Musk nor the [United States] are criticising South Africa for no reason. They clearly stated that they want to bring much-needed investment to South Africa to help get the country’s economy back on its feet and reverse unemployment. This is, however, hampered by South Africa’s race-based laws, which make it impossible to invest in South Africa, according to Musk. The reasons why the legislation and policy deter investors are justified.”

Mulder questioned the wisdom of alienating investors like Musk, one of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs, and the United States (US), a key trading partner for South Africa.

“Anyone willing to turn away foreign investment in South Africa because of valid criticism of the country’s race-based laws and legislation, such as the Expropriation Act, should also be prepared to explain to the unemployed masses why the economy is not growing,” Mulder said.

Mulder noted that South Africa’s economy is growing at a meagre 1% per year, compared to 4% in other emerging markets. Investment rates are about half the global average. Unemployment exceeds 30%, far higher than the global norm of around 5%. These alarming statistics highlight the need for urgent action to attract foreign investment, Mulder said.

Mulder concluded: “To rectify this, South Africa must attract investment, and when a country such as the US and a businessman such as Musk express valid criticism, it warrants attention. Threatening them is not sensible. South Africa's survival as a democracy is at stake. Without investment and job creation, the country is heading straight for a national disaster. Populist leaders making populist statements will not create a single job. Every day that South Africa spends picking and choosing which investment is acceptable is another day that it sinks deeper into the economic quagmire while the populists grow stronger. No sensible South African leader will take that risk.”

See The Common Sense’s editorial this morning on Hill-Lewis here.

A person with knowledge of the relationship between South Africa and America told The Common Sense that Hill-Lewis had, “rather shat the bed in diplomatic terms in terms of his party’s relationship with Washington where it was already seen as flimsy, it is going to be extremely unlikely for the DA to be taken seriously in Washington after this. This is especially as the ANC made a shrewd move yesterday in appointing Roelf Meyer as ambassador to Washington. The administration is desperate for someone reasonable to talk to about repairing ties between South Africa and the US and on the same day the DA goes all out against Trump the ANC sends such a well-received signal”.