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Mail & Guardian
a day ago
- Politics
- Mail & Guardian
National Dialogue gains inclusion as activists step in after foundations exit
(Graphic: John McCann) Despite hurdles, including several legacy foundations and political parties boycotting last week's convention to initiate the National Dialogue on resolving South Africa's problems, organisers and participants insist the initiative remains on track. Last week, President Cyril Ramaphosa said the National Dialogue was a credible programme that would 'launch a million conversations' across South Africa, where people would 'meet to talk about what worries them, what gives them hope and how they think their lives and our country can be better'. On Monday, convention committee spokesperson Zwoitwaho Nevhutalu described the discussions during last week's forum as 'vibrant', saying the He noted how delegates had resisted moves that might exclude citizens unable to attend the two-day convention, telling the Mail & Guardian : 'It was actually humbling how activists did not want to use their privilege at being at the convention to usurp leadership.' The National Dialogue is part of Ramaphosa's attempt to forge a new social compact after his ANC lost its electoral majority in the 2024 general elections, forcing it into a coalition government with nine other political parties, including the Democratic Alliance (DA). The DA is boycotting the dialogue, describing it as an Nevhutalu said the willingness of activists to hold space for excluded voices was a key marker of the convention's spirit. 'What we picked up from the dialogue is that South Africans are very stressed and it is an opportune moment for leaders to engage in discussions,' he said, pushing back against what he called the 'misrepresentation' of the process by those opposed to it. 'All we will do is collate the information and make sure it arrives at the highest level, which is the second convention.' Civil society organisations appear to be stepping into the gaps left by the foundations' withdrawal. Member of the convention committee Nonkululeko Mntambo said the exits opened more space for citizens and grassroots networks. 'When the foundations left the leadership of the subcommittees, the social mobilisation and trauma and healing fell to the grassroots people who were already mobilised,' Mntambo said. 'Many experts have since been discovered who would otherwise not have been in the forefront.' But she stressed that the process is not without risks. 'The dialogue has to address security issues and ensure participants are well trained, for a citizen-led process to be successful. We are dialoguing with people who have very different values and backgrounds.' The trust deficit between the government and citizens, created by years of unmet promises, complicates efforts to build consensus, Mntambo said, adding that the convention showed spatial, gender and racial divides which the dialogue seeks to address. 'Getting people to the convention was difficult as some were coming from different parts of South Africa — from townships and villages,' she noted. Bongani Kupe, the special project manager at the Thabo Mbeki Foundation, said the legacy movements were talking to civil society about how to take the project back from the government and political parties. 'We didn't participate in [last week's] gathering but we cannot leave this important project to people who don't understand its meaning and impact in the citizenry defining the South Africa we want,' Kupe said. He said South Africans had lost faith in democracy, pointing to the declining number of voters who cast ballots in the 2024 elections. 'Our aim is to deal with all aspects affecting the country and there are no holy cows. The dialogue should cover even the most uncomfortable topics that will shape the future of this country.'
IOL News
4 days ago
- Politics
- IOL News
National Dialogue: Everything you need to know
It is believed to be a phased, participatory process involving local consultations, sectoral discussions, and provincial gatherings. There is expected to be a second convention in early 2026 where a national programme of action will be adopted. The National Dialogue is a government initiative designed to unite South Africans in addressing the country's most pressing issues. This includes social, economic, and political challenges. Its purpose is to spark discussions at a grassroots level, identify common ground, build a collective vision for progress, and strengthen democratic processes. The National Dialogue is set to kick off despite several withdrawals and controversy. We take a look at the reason for the dialogue, the withdrawals and the controversy: The National Convention is expected to bring together 200 organisations from 33 different sectors. Only 557 people from 28 sectors had confirmed attendance. The first National Convention is scheduled to take place from August 15 to 16, 2025, at UNISA's main campus in Pretoria. Concerns and controversies Budgetary scrutiny: The estimated R700 million price tag has sparked public criticism, especially since the country grapples with service delivery failures and inequality. National Convention spokesperson Rev Zwoitwaho Nevhutalu clarified that the R700 million is a draft figure prepared by the preparatory task team, not a final government allocation. The conceptual funding framework projects 60% of costs from the government (fiscus) and 40% from donors (cash and in-kind contributions from businesses, private sector, civil society, churches, and municipalities). The Presidency confirmed that costs for the first convention are funded from existing NEDLAC and Presidency budgets, with UNISA providing venues and services free of charge. Ramaphosa also stated efforts are underway to reduce the overall cost. Parliament's Standing Committee on Appropriations has raised questions about funding sources and governance, insisting public money must be accounted for and allocated through an act of Parliament. Legitimacy and duplication: The Labour Party of South Africa filed a legal bid to halt the dialogue, saying it's a costly and dangerous duplication of the national legislature. It questioned the President's power to establish it if it aims to create policy and binding decisions. The Gauteng High Court dismissed this bid, ruling that the President is mandated to promote national unity and the dialogue has a rational link to this goal. "Elite capture" and exclusions: Civil society groups, like Free SA, argue the dialogue is "neither national nor a dialogue" because it excludes key political parties and entire sectors of society, making it appear more like a PR exercise. According to political analyst, Sandile Swana, it's a concern of "elite capture," where a document produced by ruling elites may not reflect the needs of ordinary South Africans. Talk shop vs. action: Critics view the dialogue as another "talk shop" disconnected from real challenges. They argue that South Africa needs delivery and practical solutions to issues like unemployment, poverty, crime, and failing public services, instead of more speeches or reports. Accountability for corruption: Critics, including #NotInMyName, argue that the government lacks the moral imperative to convene the dialogue while widespread reports of corruption and mismanagement of state resources remain unaddressed. There are warnings that unless the dialogue directly addresses issues like the Phala Phala affair, it will lack credibility. President Ramaphosa's Stance President Cyril Ramaphosa has defended the decision to proceed, stating that the National Convention is essential for South Africa's people to take ownership and control of the National Dialogue. He expressed regret over some withdrawals but was encouraged by their stated intention to still play a role. Ramaphosa has also urged women to lead discussions and participate actively in the dialogue, especially as the first convention takes place during Women's Month. He stressed that women, who are significantly affected by national issues, must be equally represented across all structures, including young and old, rural and urban, and those from diverse ethnic, linguistic, and LGBTQI+ communities. IOL
IOL News
5 days ago
- Politics
- IOL News
National Convention denies knowledge of challenges as National Dialogue draws fire over transparency
Concerns over National Dialogue grow as major foundations withdraw, National Convention denies knowledge of challenges. Image: GCIS The National Convention says it is unaware of concrete reasons behind a wave of withdrawals from the National Dialogue, even as several prominent foundations pulled out and major political parties condemned the process as impractical and wasteful. This follows several organisations withdrawing their participation due to concerns over transparency, funding, and the intentions, alleging that the government had hijacked the process. Several high-profile foundations, including the Steve Biko Foundation, Thabo Mbeki Foundation, Chief Albert Luthuli Foundation, Desmond and Leah Tutu Foundation, FW de Klerk Foundation, Oliver and Adelaide Tambo Foundation, and the Strategic Dialogue Group, Spokesperson Rev Zwoitwaho Nevhutalu told IOL that thirty sectors were identified to constitute the first National Convention. 'Our organisers now face a challenge of battling with people who want to come in, but we don't have space anymore, so we are completely oversubscribed.' He rejected claims that the government was taking over the process, insisting the government's role had been to support rather than dominate the negotiations. 'The Legacy foundations raised none of the issues about the government taking over our process,' Nevhutalu said, noting that the Legacy Foundations were part of the preparatory framework that underpins the convention. He argued that the Eminent Persons Group (EPG) provided ongoing advice and that the Preparatory Task Team (PTT) had proposed ways to preserve the convention's quality while expanding citizen participation. 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 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 ✕ Asked about the withdrawals, he said he was unaware of specific grievances beyond concerns raised about government influence. 'Those who pulled it out were the Democratic Alliance in reaction to the president's firing of one of the deputy ministers. And they started taking it out at the National Convention,' he said. Nevhutalu pointed to the EPG's role in ensuring compliance with laws and processes, and he insisted that the ongoing engagement window remained wide for those who chose to participate. 'There's a big window of opportunity for people to engage… the EPG will engage with those who have dissociated themselves from the National Dialogue,' he said, urging non-participants to reconsider and join 'the dialogue for the nation.' The controversy comes as several high-profile foundations - including the Steve Biko Foundation, Thabo Mbeki Foundation, Chief Albert Luthuli Foundation, Desmond and Leah Tutu Foundation, FW de Klerk Foundation, Oliver and Adelaide Tambo Foundation, and the Strategic Dialogue Group — have either expressed reservations or withdrawn entirely from the process. Critics argue that the dialogue risks legitimising a process that could be out of touch with ordinary South Africans. At the same time, the country grapples with a severe cost-of-living crisis, rising unemployment, and diminishing public services. Meanwhile, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and other parties have publicly rejected the National Dialogue. They describe it as 'outrageous and wasteful,' citing an estimated spend of at least R700 million at a time of hardship for many citizens.
IOL News
12-08-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Community dialogues in every ward aim to reshape South Africa's future
The National Convention organising committee spokesperson Rev Zwoitwaho Nevhutalu says the R700m budget for the national dialogue is provisional, with most funds aimed at 13 600 community discussions on SA's future, funded by both government and donors. Image: Screengrab from video / SABC News Thousands of community dialogues across the country are expected to form part of the National Dialogue process, and 60% of the costs for the project will be funded by the government. This was said yesterday by National Convention organising committee spokesperson Reverend Zwoitwaho Nevhutalu, who clarified that the widely discussed R700 million budget for the national dialogue was not a government allocation but a draft figure prepared by the preparatory task team. The National Convention is scheduled to take place on August 15 and 16 in Pretoria. The clarification comes after the estimated R700 million price tag ignited a wave of criticism from trade unions, political parties, academics, and sectors of civil society, especially in a context of austerity measures, service delivery failures, and deepening inequality. Speaking at a media briefing at UNISA yesterday on the state of readiness to host the first convention, Nevhutalu said, 'You see, the budget that people were talking about, the R700m and so on, was a budget prepared by the preparatory task team. It's not a government budget.' He added that the conceptual funding framework envisages 60% of costs being covered by the government through the fiscus, while the remaining 40% would come from donors in cash and in kind. 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 He noted that contributions would be sought from businesses, the private sector, and civil society, with organisations such as churches and municipalities providing infrastructure and venues. 'Civil society has already done a lot,' he said. Nevhutalu further stressed that the initiative is a 'people's project' and not solely a government undertaking. He said, therefore, that most of the proposed funding would go towards community dialogues, which are planned to take place in every ward across the country. 'It is expected that we're going to have three dialogues per ward for the duration. I think it comes to like 13,600 dialogues,' he said. These sessions will focus on grassroots discussions about the future vision of South Africa. He emphasised that the budget remains provisional, with Treasury still in discussions over the government's contribution. Entities will also be approached and mobilised by the steering committee and eminent persons groups to secure additional support, he said. 'This is a people's project. It's not something that is really a government project,' Nevhutalu said. National Convention organising committee chairperson Boichoko Ditlhake said that 775 individuals have been invited from over 30 sectors and more than 200 organisations. 'As of yesterday, 557 people from 28 sectors had confirmed attendance,' he said. The National Dialogue, however, has been rocked by the withdrawal of several prominent organisations, including the Steve Biko Foundation, Thabo Mbeki Foundation, Chief Albert Luthuli Foundation, Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation, WDB Foundation, Oliver and Adelaide Tambo Foundation, and the Strategic Dialogue Group. In a joint statement issued on Friday, the group said the decision was made with 'deep regret' but was necessary to protect the process's credibility and integrity. They accused the organisers of shifting the initiative away from its citizen-led origins toward government control. 'What began as a citizen-led initiative has unfortunately in practice shifted towards government control,' the statement read. Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa said the upcoming National Dialogue must serve as a platform for 'women to raise their voices'. 'With the first National Convention taking place during Women's Month, I call on all sectors of society to come together to ensure the full participation of all women in the National Dialogue,' he said in his weekly newsletter yesterday. 'This would be the most fitting and powerful tribute to the legacy of the pioneers of 1956.'
IOL News
11-08-2025
- Business
- IOL News
National Convention spokesperson clarifies R700m budget as draft for people's dialogue
The National Convention spokesperson Rev Zwoitwaho Nevhutalu says the R700m budget for the national dialogue is provisional, with most funds aimed at 13,600 community discussions on South Africa's future, funded by both government and donors. Image: GCIS National Convention spokesperson Rev Zwoitwaho Nevhutalu has clarified that the widely discussed R700 million budget for the national dialogue was not a government allocation but a draft figure prepared by the preparatory task team. The National Dialogue is scheduled to take place on August 15 to 16, 2025, in Pretoria. Speaking at a media briefing at UNISA on Monday on the state of readiness to host the first Convention on National Dialogue, Nevhutalu stressed that the initiative is a 'people's project' and not solely a government undertaking. The clarification comes after the estimated R700 million price tag ignited a wave of criticism from trade unions, political parties, academics, and sectors of civil society, especially in a context of austerity measures, service delivery failures, and deepening inequality. 'You see, the budget that people were talking about, the R700 million and so on, it was a budget prepared by the preparatory task team. It's not a government budget,' Nevhutalu said. He explained that the conceptual funding framework envisages 60% of costs being covered by the government through the fiscus, while the remaining 40% would come from donors in cash and in kind. He noted that contributions would be sought from businesses, the private sector, and civil society, with organisations such as churches and municipalities providing infrastructure and venues. 'Civil society has already done a lot,' he said. Nevhutalu said most of the proposed funding would go towards community dialogues, which are planned to take place in every ward across the country. 'It is expected that we're going to have three dialogues per ward for the duration. I think it comes to like 13,600 dialogues,' he said. These sessions will focus on grassroots discussions about the future vision of South Africa. He emphasised that the budget remains provisional, with Treasury still in discussions over the government's contribution. Entities will also be approached and mobilised by the steering committee and eminent persons groups to secure additional support, he said. 'This is a people's project. It's not something that is really a government project,' Nevhutalu said. The National Dialogue, however has been rocked by the withdrawal of several prominent organisations, including the Steve Biko Foundation, Thabo Mbeki Foundation, Chief Albert Luthuli Foundation, Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation, WDB Foundation, Oliver and Adelaide Tambo Foundation, and the Strategic Dialogue Group. In a joint statement issued on Friday, the group said the decision was made with 'deep regret,' but was necessary to protect the process's credibility and integrity. 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 They accused the organisers of shifting the initiative away from its citizen-led origins toward government control. 'What began as a citizen-led initiative has unfortunately in practice shifted towards government control,' the statement read. 'In pushing forward for a Convention on August 15, at the will of government officials and against the advice of the Sub-Committee Chairs, we believe that a critical moment in which citizens should be leading will be undermined.' The group raised concerns about a rushed timeline, inadequate logistics, and a lack of meaningful engagement. They warned that the Convention, as currently planned, risked becoming more symbolic than substantive. 'The rushed timeline, constrained logistics, and limited interactive design mean that the proposed Convention no longer offers a meaningful platform for engagement,' they said. 'It risks becoming more performance than participation.' They also cited possible violations of the Public Finance Management Act due to 'emergency procurement' processes and unresolved disagreements within the Planning and Technical Task Team (PTT). While they have withdrawn from the August 15 event and related planning structures, the Foundations reaffirmed their commitment to the broader goals of the National Dialogue. They proposed that the Convention be rescheduled for December 15, 2025, allowing for better preparation and ensuring participatory integrity. 'We cannot pursue that goal by cutting corners, centralising power, or rushing the process,' they said. Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel. IOL Politics
