Currencies, Constraints and Contradictions of South Africa’s Soft Power

Abstract

Despite increasing interest in South Africa’s soft power in recent years, little analysis is offered on the factors that hinder the projection of such soft power. Most studies have focused on the sources and the optimization of South Africa’s soft power. While this article gives a synoptic account of these sources, it offers a different perspective by engaging the constraints and contradictions that hinder and circumscribe its soft power projection. The article concludes that, in order to maximize its soft power projection, Pretoria must address the impediments that continue to undermine its power of attraction.

Covid-19 and South Africa–china Asymmetric Relations

“…South Africa continues to play a significant role in the African political economy through the presence of companies like MTN, Vodacom, Multi Choice, and Game in many African states. More than 120 and around 230 South African companies have set up branches in Nigeria and Tanzania, respectively ( Tella 2021 ). In this manner, Chinese industrial byproducts—which are the mainstay of these companies—are transferred across Africa.…”

“…Another important example of Beijing's exercise of somewhat hegemonic influence on South Africa is the latter's denial of a visa to Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama three times within the space of five years including in 2009 when his visa application to attend a peace conference with Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, and FW de Klerk, his fellow Nobel Peace Laureates was denied (Jacobs and Yu 2014). He was also denied a visa to attend Tutu's 80th birthday in 2011 and in 2014 to attend the 14th World Peace Summit (Tella 2018). This is attributed to Beijing exerting pressure on Pretoria and the possibility of economic consequences should South Africa not heed the wishes of its largest trade partner.…”

Nigeria’s Democracy Promotion in Africa: Hard, Soft or Smart Power Stratagem?

“…During the Cold War, while the US hard power of economic and military might was bolstered by its soft power of democracy and pop culture, the Soviet Union’s hard power was reinforced by its soft power of socialism. Post-apartheid South Africa’s hard power, seen in its peacekeeping in Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), is supplemented by its soft power of constitutionalism and charismatic leaders like Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki (Tella, 2018c). Nigeria’s campaign against terrorism in West and Central Africa requires smart power to crush the insurgents on the battlefield (hard power) and make its ideology less attractive (soft power).…”