Professor Gary Prevost
Held at the University’s South Campus Auditorium, visiting emeritus professor Gary Prevost opened by situating the discussion within the broader context of global crises, describing it as his most “fraught address” in his 20-year association with Mandela University.
Prof Prevost traced the evolution of United States global power, arguing that the current geopolitical moment cannot be understood without recognising the country’s relative decline and the rise of China as an economic rival.
He contrasted the foreign policy approaches of recent US presidents, highlighting Barack Obama’s “smart power” strategy, which emphasised partnerships and diplomacy. In contrast, Donald Trump’s presidency has been characterised as the “manager of the empire”, driven by an “America First” strategy.
“Trump’s ‘America First’ was not isolationist but rather an attempt to reassert American power on more transactional terms and with scepticism towards multilateral institutions,” Prof Prevost said, noting that tariffs were used to counter China’s manufacturing dominance.
He argued that a second Trump administration would likely seek to redesign the global order around three priorities: maintaining US economic dominance, preserving military superiority and reversing globalisation by bringing manufacturing jobs back to the United States.
Siyakudumisa Zicina
Against the backdrop of the United States’ complicity in the genocide in Gaza and tensions involving Iran, programme director Siyakudumisa Zicina argued that states are increasingly acting in ways that disregard international law and global norms.
“Wars are being waged by choice rather than as responses to clear security threats,” he said. “These developments raise an important question: how do governments justify such actions, and how do they reconcile them with the principles of international law?”
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Dr Esther Gumboh
Responding to these reflections, Dr Esther Gumboh, senior lecturer in criminal and procedural law at Mandela University, analysed the discussion through the lens of public international law.
She emphasised that while states have the right to defend themselves, this power remains limited by international law, particularly when exercised beyond their borders. Using US intervention in Venezuela and US–Israel operations involving Iran as examples, she highlighted growing concerns about the extraterritorial use of force.
“If we have no compliance in the implementation of international law, then the rule of law itself is going to fail,” she cautioned.
Despite these challenges, Dr Gumboh stressed that international law still plays a critical role in regulating state behaviour and maintaining global order, arguing that the focus should be on strengthening compliance mechanisms rather than abandoning the system.
The seminar concluded with reflections on the potential economic consequences of escalating conflict between the United States and Iran. With the Middle East being one of the world’s largest oil-producing regions, participants noted that rising oil prices would have ripple effects globally, with countries such as South Africa likely to feel the impact despite being far from the conflict.
“We live in a world that is rapidly changing. As a University, we need to come together to study these changes so that we can craft responses that help shape the future,” said Dr Ongama Mtimka, senior lecturer in the Department of History and Political Studies.