ABSTRACT
This chapter examines South Africa’s soft power. It identifies the philosophy of Ubuntu; the cultural outputs of soap operas, music and universities; the political values of constitutionalism, liberal democracy, and human rights; and the foreign policies of peacemaking and democracy promotion as sources of Pretoria’s soft power. The chapter illustrates that South Africa is arguably the most successful state on the continent in terms of using its soft power to achieve the desired results. This is evident in the state’s hosting of key international events like the 2010 FIFA World Cup and its role as Africa’s sole representative in key international institutions such as BRICS and the Group of 20 (G20). Despite its impressive soft power sources, South Africa is constrained on many levels including its economic constraints of poverty, inequality, and unemployment; political constraints of corruption and state capture; and contradictions – double standards on human rights and perpetual xenophobia. These challenges have tarnished its image across the globe, resulting in the decline of the regional power’s soft power.
