South Africa moved from one race-based system to another race-based system.

We need to move away from race-based systems.

Ernst Roots is the founder and executive director of Lex Libertas, an organization that advocates

for constitutional reform and decentralization in South Africa.

The deeper root of the problem is that the political system is not sustainable.

The solution we would say is to rethink the political system in South Africa.

Roots argues that South Africa, with its growing political, social, and economic crises,

is on the verge of becoming a failed state.

Any country that is antagonistic towards the West is regarded as a friend of the South African government.

The extent to which China is strengthening its grip on the African continent, but also especially

in South Africa, China is playing the long game.

This is American Thought Leaders, and I'm Yanya Kellick.

Ernst Roots, such a pleasure to have you on American Thought Leaders.

Thank you very much.

I'm very happy to be here.

Thank you for speaking with me.

So what's happening in South Africa?

Well, there's a lot happening in South Africa.

I would say the most important thing to be said about South Africa is that it's failing. And it's failing on a variety of levels. And we've just published a report on this,

which is why I'm here in Washington speaking to you. But I would say, and according to our report as well,

the failure is evident in three areas. The one is the very disastrous policy framework that we have in

South Africa, including a bunch of laws and legislation aimed at race-based redistribution

...