From Elon Musk’s Pretoria beginnings to global dominance, this conversation dives into power, policy, and South Africa’s economic crossroads. Solidarity’s Dirk Hermann unpacks the growing backlash against BEE, arguing it stifles jobs, fuels elite enrichment, and deters investment. With pressure mounting from markets, citizens, and international players, is reform inevitable? A sharp, thought-provoking look at race, economics, and the battle over South Africa’s future direction.
Timestamps
00:00 – Elon Musk’s SA roots
01:12 – Why this matters now
02:04 – What is Solidarity?
03:02 – BEE: long-standing opposition
04:00 – Pressure on BEE grows
05:28 – Market vs BEE
06:39 – Where BEE went wrong
07:56 – Input vs output debate
09:23 – Cost of BEE
10:47 – Why SA chose this path
11:37 – Corruption & elites
13:07 – Moral vs economic reality
14:25 – Race relations today
16:28 – Global pressure (Trump & Musk)
18:01 – Dirk Hermann’s story
19:52 – Inside Solidarity
21:08 – Stay or leave SA?
23:22 – Private sector solutions
26:49 – Civil pushback
27:38 – Starlink blocked?
29:16 – Equity equivalence
31:52 – Fixing the system
34:05 – Reform or replace BEE?
36:27 – Business pushback
37:29 – Is change coming?
40:07 – Closing
Video production by Siziphiwe Ntlaningeshe
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Problem is that the state sometimes say not race on the advertisement, but if you go to the interview you find out the job is promiced to a black person. I experienced it with CapeNature. They let you drive unnecessary. I went to an interview. When I arrived I was the most qualified. I had also excellent references. After the interview they froze the post as they're could not get a black person who were in management. I was the only manager (successful) who applied. The rest were field rangers who cannot even compile a budget.
I am in need of help. Really 😢😢😢😢
It should be noted that Musk himself has benefited from more than his fair share of taxpayer largesse over the years.
We all have heard from our friends that had to leave what happened black corruption no one should be surprised
Easy Biggest problem.
Do not educate the majority of South Africans. No English with international science and maths. All rural schools only start with English in grade 4 and it’s at a lower level. Then there’s no drive for Science and maths. I’d the s schools get English via the internet it’s game over for the Marxists Communists.
What the anc are doing is pure evil. Laws have nothing to do with it. War on the anc is the only Christian way to handle this.
Elon must just use a few of his drones😜😜🤣🤣
When saying IDEOLOGY driven, it means MARXIST COMMUNIST IDEOLOGY driven by the ANC led Government.
The ANC is destroying the country, no doubt…but Elon Musk and his support for the US Trump Government also raises red flags. I sold my company and relocated to Europe in 2008, because I could not get contracts without having to first pay corrupt "commissions" to get those contracts. What I can say is that I was shocked to see how corrupt Europe is as well, so pick your poison…
Best wishes to Solidarity, Afriforum and others! I believe the issue of non-compliance to Government incompetence will be overtaken by these competent organizations.
Projects are delayed, frustration builds, service delivery drops and patience are running out. Not allowed to say anything either.
Never forget BEE suited big business in South Africa. BEE is a collusion between big business and a handfull of black families. Dont blame 13:47 black people, blame the white wealthy class
65 million blacks and +/- 4 million whites, if you took all the jobs occupied by whites and gave them to blacks it would barely make a dent in black unemployment. It’s being done for the sake of vindictiveness, hatred of whites.
Are we as soceity ready for diverse soceity.Are white people ready are black people ready,are coloured people ready are Indians ready.We have homelands for every group that is the way a lot have rolled.Must whites,coloureds,Indians received a homeland,I feel that should happen.Take there nr give them a peace of land within South Africa,not for me to say where.Let them carry on treat them the some as Zoeloes,Xhosas in there homeland.Take the rest of South Africa and create a country,where equality is in place.Those that have problems of wanting to rule let them rule in there homelands.There is no otherway for us to go forward as a country.We have tried over years and nothing else worked.Make truth reconciliation commution.Let the past 32 years sins come out as Apartheids did.If crimes where commited,take that money uplift those that is poor,not having houses,hospitals,schools ect.Have a reset see if we can create a country not having to ask for loans beg for excistance from others.For years to come lots will still be poorer till they are also qualified,in the meanwhile to funksion,give people in goverment everywhere positions they qualify for.Stop making us laughing stock of world.
Does these people in goverment know what black mark it is to loose citizens to refugee ship.And you know what most are leaving because there wife children are scared.They dont see a future,there a lot others which have no future.Its change or go under,at moment we are choosing option 2.
I support Elon Musk 100%. Logical, investment attracting, job creation, a huge plus for South Africa's economy…
too many positives to mention! Oh, I almost forgot, nothing for the back pockets of the black rich supremacist elites who have ruled for the last 33 years!! That's why they refuse to play ball.
And we SA citizens know it and have had enough of them. It's time for a regime change and rebuild SA together without them, Starlink will become the norm in SA. No excuses for any SA Citizen to be kept in darkness, rural or city!
Go Elon, we are behind you! And President Trump & the USA! For SA's sake and all her people who long for safety, peace, prosperity and fun in the sun! ❤❤
BEE undermines quality and standards. Clear from service at all levels and businesses.
We tried to highlight the ineffective and unfair effect of BEE but we were called racists everytime we tried to help rectify the problem.
I ear you in respect of BEE but…surely, big business SA at that time (and now) gave away shareholding to Politically connected Black Africans to garner influence in Government and are thus complicit in the current status quo???
Cyril himself is a shining example of being a beneficiary of BEE
They are illuminati
Do yourself a favor, go to an AI platform on Google and enter the question; “How much has the black man on the street benefitted from BEE in South Africa compared to the politicians?” You will be amazed by the answer you get.
According to a study performed by the University of the Witwatersrand; the average black man on the street by estimate benefitted about R65,00 per month. In mining alone 46 individuals got 60% of BEE deals whilst by estimates over R1 trillion were transferred to 100 people. • Less than 10% of BEE equity deals reached workers or broad-based groups, meaning that 90%+ of ownership value went elsewhere (mostly individuals, not the masses).
Elon Musk is a highly intelligent and powerful. I think the SA government must think twice before making an enemy of him
We appreciate what Elon is doing for South Africa
One can never compare South Africa with England because of The obsessive Clsss structure of the Brits … which we do not have
Please remember that when unpacking our multi lingual society
Pragtige gesprek dankie !!