THE DONALD & SOUTH AFRICA

The election for the next president of the United States is a peripheral matter as far as most South Africans are concerned. However, the election will have far reaching consequences if Donald Trump is the republican nominee, and wins the national election over the presumptive democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton. The republican establishment has never had to contend with the likes of Trump, and have gone into overdrive to stop him in his tracks. The gloves are off, and political gamesmanship has given way to unprecedented attacks against Trump heretofore unseen in American politics. Former republican presidential candidate, Mitt Romney, called Trump a phony, a fraud, dishonest, a misogynist, a bully and a threat to national security. To add to Romney's list one must include Trump's scapegoating of Muslims, Mexicans, a predilection for support from white racist separatists. In fact, there are not enough derogatory adjectives to describe the man's loathsomeness. Trump enjoys strong support from working-class angry white and evangelical voters. What the white working class and religious fundamentalists have in common with an egomaniacal billionaire defies explanation! Assuming Trump emerges as President what can South Africa expect from a Trump administration? An inimical relationship at best. Even prior to running for president Trump slammed South Africa as "a total-and very dangerous-mess". Inasmuch as the ANC government and the Obama administration are sometimes at odds with one another, the relationship with a Trump administration will be far more contemptuous and truculent. Dealing with a government composed of communists and trade unionists with be an anathema to Trump . Furthermore his myopic and ignorant world view will exacerbate matters, particularly because of South Africa's alignment with China and Russia. The US election is about to enter stormy seas - hopefully the electorate will wise-up, and elect the first woman president of the United States. A choice far more preferable. Stay tuned!