Critics accuse government of not listening
PRETORIA - Day 2 of the National Convention has begun on Saturday, with the dust from a chaotic opening still settling.
Technical glitches, a medical emergency, and tense scenes marked day one.
Some delegates walked out after the keynote, accusing organisers of talking at them rather than listening.
President Cyril Ramaphosa started the event, urging all South Africans to join the dialogue.
He called for frank conversations on gender-based violence, poverty, inequality and service delivery failures.
Today's focus is on finalising the rollout of the dialogues and securing contributions to support citizen-led discussions.
eNCA anchor Andrew Barnes discussed the initiative with Mpumelelo Mseleku.
The #NationalDialogue is a citizen-led platform to collectively carve a better future. Our presence represents the aspirations of millions of South Africans.
The People Shall Govern! pic.twitter.com/4m9YaJTslv
— ANC - African National Congress (@MYANC) August 16, 2025
The #NationalDialogue is not a single event; it is a long-term, participatory process that seeks to impact on and involve every part of our country, unleashing the energies and buy-in of every citizen and every sector. It, therefore, cannot be a 'talk-shop', as it aims to produce… pic.twitter.com/SDCQjOy1uI
— The Presidency 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) August 15, 2025
Several grassroots civil society organisations and movements have issued a statement explaining why they are participating in the #NationalDialogue.
'The National Dialogue is flawed and may unrealistic… but it's a radical departure from past government-led engagements' pic.twitter.com/fwvh1pZn76
— Mbekezeli (@MbekezeliMB) August 15, 2025
Day 2 of #ZANatDialogue, Unisa open doors for further engagement through the #NationalDialogue a platform to discuss, collaborate, and act on the issues that matter most to South Africa. Together, we will uphold our democratic values and meet the needs of our communities.
Follow… pic.twitter.com/X5IlUCZaHn
— Unisa (@unisa) August 16, 2025
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Free 1996 Constitution booklet signed by South African greats now valued at nearly R1 million
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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 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. Next Stay Close ✕ Chef Neels du Plooy with then-President Thabo Mbeki at a game farm in 1999, where he got a signature from Mbeki and his wife, Zanele. 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Image: Debbie Yazbek "In the late '90s, I was at the opening of the Lesotho Highlands Katse Dam and took the booklet with me, and after the meal, there were a lot of MPs, including Ramaphosa and five or six premiers of the first administration whose signatures I was able to get." That's where he also got the signature of King Letsi III, ruler of the Kingdom of Lesotho. Du Plooy managed to get the signatures of George Bizos, Mangosuthu Buthelezi, Kader Asmal, Arthur Chaskalson and Govan Mbeki. Du Plooy, who lives in Sandringham, Johannesburg, was later a chef at a restaurant in the Joburg Civic Centre in Braamfontein, and so he used that opportunity to gather signatures of important people when they came to dine. He believes it is the only booklet in the world that bears the signatures of four state presidents. But there is one signature at the top left of the first page of the booklet which he has not been able to identify. "I only got signatures of significant people at the time, so it was someone important, I am just unable to work out whose signature it is," he said. The signature at the top left of this page has turned out to be a puzzler for Neels du Plooy, who only sought the signatures of significant players in our transition to democracy. Image: Supplied Du Plooy said there is one signature he wishes it had, and that is of Roelf Meyer, who was a key drafter of the Constitution, with whom he has lost contact. The Marketplace advert states that the booklet is accompanied by a provenance certificate and official ISBN registration. "This volume is a verified original - an irreplaceable piece of South African history... Ideal for collectors of Mandela-era memorabilia, constitutional scholars or institutions preserving democratic heritage."
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