Helen Zille was exceptional on Gabriel Makin’s Talking Sense podcast. Her comment about the colour of the cat not mattering as long as it catches mice is the principle according to which the whole country should be governed. If it were, South Africa’s economy would be growing at 5%, and the unemployment rate would be below 10%. Poverty and inequality would be eradicated.

Our friend Richard Wilkinson has done the math on whether Zille can win in the city. It’s possible if the DA gets its 2016 local government result in the city (almost 500 000 votes) and the ANC gets its 2021 result (300 000 votes, and splits those with MK). The EFF and the ANC hangers-on can then get 150 000 between them, and the DA would still have enough for an outright majority. If that happens, the city will be set on a steep turnaround track.

The mainstream legacy media (or whatever one wishes to call them) remain a disgrace. Zille was interviewed by one of Primedia’s radio stations in Johannesburg. Not a single intelligent question was asked of her. Just snide, sniggering ignorance, and race-tinged barbs. It’s pure poison to the soul of any society and actually very dangerous. If South Africa ever falls into a cauldron of racial and ethnic violence, it will be because some companies thought they could make money by pumping such poison through the veins of society. It’s a wonder how they live with themselves.

Tariff deal

The news from America is that a tariff deal with South Africa is within reach. The chief reason is that some American and South African firms, who are completely innocent of the hijinks of the South African government, have been prejudiced by the tariffs, and it is in their mutual interest that these be lowered. If a deal is struck to bring tariffs down to, say, 10%, it will help those firms, but it won’t do much to move the dial on growth or investment.

The South African government, however, shows little appetite for the kind of deal that could move that dial, fearing that a vast influx of American capital would cause the state and its proxies to surrender control of South African resources and infrastructure. It’s all so shortsighted. The ANC has lost control of the country because the investment rate is too low. Now it wishes to keep out investment so that it does not lose control.

Podcast

The most recent Makin Sense podcast (The Common Sense has two – Makin Sense and Talking Sense) is on its way to 20 000 views. That’s still far off what the established podcasters secure, but for month one it’s a good start. Makin Sense is a great format. Five South Africans, each successful in their fields, now split across the world from Germany to London, Washington, and Johannesburg, giving their well-researched takes on the world and South Africa.

More Bok success

The Springboks were amazing again. If the economic and political version of what the Boks treated the country to in Durban could flow through the national veins, the country would be as successful as its rugby team.

The Ryder Cup was amazing too. If you are not familiar, it is a golf match, established in 1927, played between the United States and Europe every two years. To win, a team needs 14 and a half points (out of 28).

Played in front of a massive and boisterous crowd in New York, the Americans went into the final day (there are three days) with four and a half points to Europe’s 11 and a half, but the day ended with the US trailing Europe 13 to 15. For an hour in the late afternoon it looked as if the Americans might pull off the greatest turnaround in golf.

The Ryder Cup is so great and draws a massive global following because it is the epitome of excellence in the sport. No equity targets or social justice points. If there were, no one would spend their time or money to watch.