Forging a new social compact
JOHANNESBURG - The Strategic Dialogue Group has expressed its strong support for the proposed National Dialogue.
South Africa is confronted with many persistent problems of crime, poverty, inequality and unemployment.
Former president Thabo Mbeki proposed a national dialogue last year to agree on a new social compact to take the country forward.
It's a suggestion that was embraced by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
34 minutes ago
- IOL News
Malatji: Ramaphosa should be SA's last 'pensioner' President
ANC Youth League President Collen Malatji delivers a fiery speech during Youth Month, calling for younger leadership in government. Image: Facebook/ANC Northern Cape ANC Youth League President Collen Malatji has made a bold statement, saying President Cyril Ramaphosa should be the last 'pensioner' to lead the country. Malatji made the remarks on Wednesday, at the Mmabatho Convention Centre in the North West as part of the Youth Month commemorations. He argued that older leaders must make way for younger people in key positions of power, especially given the country's high youth unemployment rate, which is sitting at 32.9% and the social struggles faced by young South Africans. 'They (referring to the youth) are dispossessed, they are on drugs, they are on alcohol, they are abused by their husbands every day of their marriage, they are in problems,' Malatji said. 'Even your dignity is stripped when you are deprived of your own economy.' He called for a revival of youth political consciousness similar to that of the 1976 generation, who famously rose up against apartheid. 'That spirit must be revived in your hearts and souls. It must burn until the structure of the economy is changed, until the youth of this country run this country,' he said. Malatji criticised what he sees as contradictions in government policy regarding age and retirement. 'You can't say people aged 65 must go to pension, but the one who makes the laws, aged 65, is still working,' he said. 'Even those in Parliament must go home when they are 65. President Ramaphosa must be the last president who is a pensioner.' Ramaphosa, who is 72-years-old, has announced a National Dialogue aimed at reshaping South Africa's future amid worsening inequality, unemployment, crime, and corruption. The dialogue will culminate in a National Convention on August 15, bringing together political, civil, religious, traditional, and business leaders. It will conclude with a second convention in early 2026. Malatji lambasted the process, claiming it lacks meaningful youth representation and direction. 'Everything important in this country must be run by the youth,' he said. 'We can't have a high level of youth unemployment while pensioners are still working.' He also took aim at the recently announced Eminent Persons Group tasked with overseeing the dialogue, which includes Bishop Barnabas Lekganyane of the Zion Christian Church, Bishop Grace Engenas Lekganyane of the St. Engenas Zion Christian Church, former COSATU general secretary Bheki Ntshalintshali, and Springbok captain Siya Kolisi. On Wednesday, IOL News reported that notable absentees from the list include Ramaphosa's predecessors and leaders of legacy foundations such as those named after Nelson Mandela, Thabo Mbeki, and Ahmed Kathrada, all of which have been critical of the current administration. 'Because that national dialogue will have no direction if it is not directed by the youth of this country,' Malatji said. 'We cannot have a task team for the youth dialogue without youth (representatives).'
IOL News
3 hours ago
- IOL News
South Africans unite for national dialogue
Humanitarian and founder of Gift of the Givers, Dr Imtiaz Sooliman. Image: Armand Hough/ Independent Newspapers SOUTH AFRICA belongs to all who live in it, and its citizens have a collective responsibility to address its problems. This was the sentiment of renowned humanitarian, and founder of Gift of Givers, Dr Imtiaz Sooliman who has been named among President Cyril Ramaphosa's Eminent Persons Group, selected to champion the much anticipated National Dialogue. The president first made mention of a National Dialogue during his State of the Nation address in February. The dialogue aims to tackle the persistent challenges faced by the country despite 30 years of democracy including poverty, crime, inequality, unemployment, social divisions and a growing disconnect between citizens and institutions, among others. On Tuesday, Ramaphosa announced 31 names set to champion the initiative. The group includes leaders in civil society, business, labour, religious institutions, cultural workers, sports organisations, women, youth and community voices. Among those on the list are Springbok captain, Siya Kolisi; Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town Thabo Makgoba; former Minister and constitutional negotiator Roelf Meyer; peace activist Ela Gandhi, former MP Lindiwe Mazibuko; Miss South Africa 2024, Mia le Roux; former Constitutional Court judge, Edwin Cameron; chairperson of the National Planning Commission, Professor Tinyiko Maluleke and award-winning actor Dr John Kani. The president said the dialogue would be a 'participatory process' that unfolds in phases, from local consultations and sectoral engagements to provincial and national gatherings. The first National Convention has been scheduled for August 15. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Sooliman expressed enthusiasm about the change this initiative could bring. 'When the government can ask the public for assistance it shows humility. No country can run without citizens getting fully involved. I also want to send a positive message. We always get negative messages; 'oh it can't be done', 'it's a rubber stamp', but I feel this time there can be a difference. We can work together and in the interest of the people of our country. I am interested because I'm a patriot, I know I can add value with my skills. But more than that, the fact that the government came and said can you guys help, it's a big ask.' 'My aim for a start is to develop to see that we have all the right people, there's a youth element missing. Youth are the best people to put forward their own vision and their own complaints. I know it's an eminent persons group, older people are experienced, but you need to get the requirements of young people. 'Secondly I would like them to consult across a wide spectrum. I want to come not only with the problems, I want to come with the solutions. I don't want to be on the rubber stamp committee, when we make a proposal we want to see action. People need help now.' He made an example of water supply problems which needed infrastructure solutions, instead of only providing water bottles which provided short term intervention. 'Several people (in the group) are competent with different experiences. We can do multiple interventions at the same time. 'A lot of people want to give free services, they want to give advice, we need to create the opportunity for that to happen. The fact that they've asked civil society to come and help the government is a great step forward,' Sooliman said. 'There's only one way to build this country. The government is only custodians of this country, it belongs to all of us, we all have a responsibility collectively to make it work. The mechanism has to be there; the government has to allow the door for civil society to come in which they've done now. It's a very bold step, I say let's hold their hand, let's do it together,' he concluded. Banyana Banyana coach, Dr Desiree Ellis said she wanted to contribute and make a meaningful change to the country. Reflecting on her personal experiences she said: 'I think from where I come from, Hanover Park, the communities are not safe. It's not safe for kids, it's not safe for anyone anymore. When I grew up I used to regularly play outside. I don't think it's safe to play outside and I think that needs to change. That has helped me and it has shaped me, I could play outside without fear. (It's) very important for communities to be safe again, where we look out for each other, where we take care of each other. ' For women and sport, Ellis said participation was important. 'There are still some international players that have to pay to participate and I don't think that should happen. (I want) to make sure we also bring sports back into schools. That shaped me, I could participate in sport in school, I played hockey at school, I could do athletics at school. That is the foundation phase.' She added that GBV needed to be addressed urgently. 'That is one of the biggest challenges we face in the country and it's something we need to make a bigger impact in making sure we reduce GBV cases. 'It's important for us all to make a contribution, to make a change. This is our country, we live here, we have a beautiful country and lets get back to making it beautiful again.' Cape Times
IOL News
4 hours ago
- IOL News
The fallout from Trump's Afrikaner project on Ramaphosa's National Dialogue agenda
President Cyril Ramaphosa has defended BEE as an engine of growth. Image: GCIS President Cyril Ramaphosa's upcoming national dialogue aims to tackle critical issues facing the country, including the divisions sparked by US President Donald Trump's controversial offer of resettlement to white Afrikaners, alongside pressing concerns regarding unemployment and poor governance. On Wednesday, Ramaphosa announced the appointment of an 'eminent persons group,' comprising 31 South Africans, who will spearhead the National Dialogue scheduled for August 15. One of the eminent persons, who requested anonymity, said the dialogue can be seen as a response to concerns, aiming to address the country's challenges and promote national building. 'The issue should definitely come up, although everybody has a choice to leave the country. "We are way beyond the colour lines now and should focus on nation building with the people who are in the country, instead of dwelling in the past. 'Sure, it's a bone of contention but we do have bigger problems," she said. However, not all are on board with Ramaphosa's dialogue initiative. The uMkhonto weSizwe Party has rejected the dialogue as an "elitist farce," saying it is a "staged theatre for the political elite". In a statement its spokesperson, Nhlamulo Ndhlela, asked why there were no ordinary South Africans, such as shack dwellers, represented? 'The so-called Eminent Persons Group, handpicked by the very same ruling class responsible for mass unemployment, deepening poverty, collapsing infrastructure and the ongoing betrayal of the Freedom Charter, is a mockery of the suffering endured daily by millions of destitute and despondent South African,' Ndhlela wrote. The EFF has also expressed skepticism, questioning the government's motives and the selection process for the Eminent Persons Group. "The challenges Ramaphosa's National Dialogue seek to address are not a product of triumph of human sacrifice against evil, which require collective national reconstruction, but are a product of man-made destruction and corruption of which he and the party he leads have been at the centre of," the EFF said in a statement. The DA's national spokesperson, Willie Aucamp, welcomed the National Dialogue saying his party would embrace the opportunity. 'I think it's high time that we as a nation get together and discuss collectively what we see as a road forward for this country,' he said. Build One South Africa (BOSA) described the announcement as a positive and necessary step forward for the country at a time of great political uncertainty, public anxiety, and economic malaise. The GOOD Party's general secretary Brett Herron said it was long overdue as the wait had been frustrating.
