Transformative or talkshop: Ramaphosa's National Dialogue welcomed, but will it lead to real change?

Daily Maverick

a day ago

The Presidency says the people of South Africa will determine whether the National Dialogue is successful or not.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has delivered on his promise of launching a National Dialogue to address a wide range of the country's pressing issues, including unemployment, poor governance, slow land reform, poverty and hunger, gender-based violence and social fragmentation.
However, doubts remain about whether the dialogue will lead to tangible outcomes or end up as yet another talkshop with no real change.
On Tuesday night, Ramaphosa announced the appointment of an 'eminent persons group' made up of 31 prominent South Africans who will lead the National Dialogue, set to take place on 15 August 2025. The group includes business leaders, former MPs, academics, athletes, actors, as well as traditional and spiritual leaders.
Some of the names include Springbok captain Siya Kolisi, Miss South Africa 2024 Mia le Roux, Bishop Barnabas Lekganyane, the leader of the Zion Christian Church, and award-winning actor John Kani.
The dialogue will take place in two phases. First there will be the event in August, which will see the representatives engage citizens from all walks of life. Then a National Convention is planned to be held in the beginning of 2026.
It is only after the National Convention that a programme of action for the country will be adopted, a move which has been criticised by some as political posturing before the 2026 local government elections.
When asked whether there were any indications of tangible outcomes expected from the National Dialogue, Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya responded: 'Well, let's give it a chance. This is a platform for all South Africans to participate. It is the people of South Africa who will determine whether it is successful or not. The government is simply facilitating a dialogue for South Africans to decide the shape and direction of the next chapter of our democratic journey.'
While there are already fears that the dialogue may just be a talkshop, Ramaphosa said it was a tried and tested method in South Africa, a reference to overcoming the apartheid regime.
'At every important moment in the history of our country, we have come together as a nation to confront our challenges and forge a path into the future in dialogue with one another.
'Through dialogue, we were able to deal with the challenges that the apartheid system caused in our country and achieved peace and overcame violence. We established a democracy and ended apartheid,' Ramaphosa said.
Historic opportunity
The National Foundations, supported by more than 50 civil society organisations — including the Thabo Mbeki and Steve Biko foundations — have welcomed the announcement of the National Dialogue. They say it is a historic opportunity for South Africans to reclaim their voice and help shape the future of the country they aspire to build.
'It is rare in the history of any nation for citizens, rather than just their representatives, to be given an opportunity to embark on a historical reflection about the state and condition of their nation, and their prospects for the future. This is an opportunity for us to fashion a brave new vision and programme for our beloved country, derived from this seismic reflection,' said chairperson Nkosinathi Biko.
Meanwhile, Neeshan Bolton from the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation welcomed the move and praised the diverse group of people appointed. However, he also raised concerns about who would be chosen as the secretariat and whether there would be enough funding to support the process.
'Depending on who the secretariat is, we will support them and what their overall mandate is and the latitude they have to do their work. They should be able to pull it off.
'Fundamental, too, is going to be resources, and I hope that they don't have to raise (funds) themselves, and that the state will play a significant role in providing the resources that are required. I am fairly pleased with the list of names that are there,' Bolton said.
While some have dismissed the dialogue, he said it was ultimately meant to produce a clear and concrete document.
'But a document is only as good as those who are then mandated to implement it,' he added.
Advocate Brenda Madumise-Pajibo, a gender-based violence activist, had a different view. She said the dialogue would be a waste of time and slammed the appointment of the eminent persons group.
'The concern is that it's driven largely by the government, and there lies its failure. Secondly, what is the purpose of this dialogue when we know what the challenges faced by this country are — the economy, gendered violence, infrastructure decay, lack of accountability from elected officials, citizens, business and government employees.
'What we are refusing to acknowledge is whether individuals appointed to lead the state have the capacity and the wherewithal to execute government policies,' Madumise-Pajibo said.
Mixed reactions
Ramaphosa first introduced the idea of a National Dialogue during his inauguration address in June 2024 in response to calls from civil society groups.
At the time of the initial announcement, the DA offered conditional support for the idea, stressing that it must be a genuinely national dialogue, not framed solely in the language and perspectives of the ANC.
The DA's national spokesperson, Willie Aucamp, has since welcomed the dialogue, which he hoped would lead to tangible outcomes. He said the party would use it as an opportunity to showcase 'constructive commitment' to the process of finding solutions for the country's problems.
'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. The DA will certainly embrace this opportunity. We hope and believe that what will be discussed there will lead to a better South Africa for everybody.
'We are hopeful that it will not just remain at talking, but that there will be action that will be implemented based on the outcomes of these talks. To just talk will not help; we must implement what we are talking about,' Aucamp said.
Meanwhile, in a strongly worded statement, the EFF rejected the initiative, describing it as a politically motivated ploy to reward those with links to the ANC.
EFF spokesperson Sinawo Tambo said South Africans were desperate for solutions to unemployment, poverty, landlessness, crime, gender-based violence and corruption — problems that had persisted under the leadership of the ANC since 1994.
'It is therefore manipulative to attempt to construct these challenges as similar to apartheid, and that they can be defeated through social cohesion, when these challenges that plague our society are due to those who have been in power since we as a nation defeated apartheid.
'Ramaphosa is attempting to make South Africans take collective responsibility for the failures of the party he leads, and seeks to mask this scapegoating with the sentimentality of a National Dialogue,' Tambo said.
Ramaphosa's spokesperson said the process should be inclusive.
'Our call is to all South Africans in every community and household to participate fully in the process. The National Dialogue stands to be a powerful platform that will shape South Africa's trajectory for many decades to come. No individual or family must be left behind in this process,' Magwenya said.
Following the announcement, Ramaphosa said an Inter-Ministerial Committee had been established under the chairpersonship of the deputy president to coordinate the government's contribution to the National Dialogue.
'We will be establishing a steering committee, comprised of representatives of various sectors of society, to set strategic priorities and coordinate implementation of the National Dialogue process,' Ramaphosa said. DM