NATIONAL DIALOGUE IN PERIL AS KEY FOUNDATIONS WITHDRAW SUPPORT

Sat 09 August 2025:

Citing a rushed process and government overreach, several prominent legacy foundations have pulled out of the upcoming National Convention.

A coalition of South Africa’s most respected legacy foundations has withdrawn from the inaugural National Convention, scheduled for 15 August. The pull-out casts a shadow over the credibility of the entire National Dialogue process and jeopardises the initiative intended to address the nation’s pressing socio-economic challenges.

In a joint statement released on Friday, 8 August, the foundations—including those of Steve Biko, Thabo Mbeki, Chief Albert Luthuli, Desmond and Leah Tutu, FW de Klerk, and Oliver and Adelaide Tambo—announced their immediate withdrawal from the event’s Preparatory Task Team (PTT). They cited fundamental violations of the core principles that were meant to guide the process.

The Presidency, however, has confirmed that the convention will proceed as planned.

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Concerns over credibility and process

The primary reasons cited for the withdrawal centre on the belief that the initiative has shifted from being a citizen-led process to one under “government control.” The foundations expressed deep regret, stating their decision was made with “unwavering conviction” because the rush to host the gathering compromised its integrity.

According to their statement, key concerns include:

A rushed timeline: The organisations argue that the hurried schedule and last-minute commitment of funds have made “sound preparation impossible” and prevented meaningful engagement.
Erosion of citizen leadership: The groups contend that the process is being driven by “the will of government officials and against the advice of the Sub-Committee Chairs,” sacrificing citizen leadership for expediency.
Lack of infrastructure: The absence of a confirmed, approved budget until the last minute raised fears of a “poorly organised and unaccountable process,” potentially leading to procurement practices that violate the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA).

The organisations clarified that this move is not a withdrawal from the National Dialogue itself but from the “performative” convention on 15 August. They believe a national dialogue cannot be built on haste and have proposed rescheduling the event to allow for proper and inclusive preparation.

The withdrawal has caused a ripple effect, with the political party ActionSA announcing it is reconsidering its own participation. The party stated it cannot support a platform that risks becoming a “government-directed exercise” or a “window-dressing exercise” without the potential for real change.

Despite the significant setback, President Cyril Ramaphosa has affirmed that the convention will go ahead next week. Speaking in Vereeniging, he stated that logistical arrangements are in place, funds have been released, and thousands of invitations have been sent to a wide range of stakeholders to ensure inclusive participation.

“The dialogue will go ahead, the people of South Africa want the dialogue to go ahead,” Ramaphosa said, acknowledging that there would be “hiccups here and there” with an undertaking of this scale. He maintained that the national dialogue is a necessary platform to address the country’s challenges.

The foundations confirmed they had informed both President Ramaphosa and the Eminent Persons Group of their position before making the public announcement. They remain committed to the vision of a credible and principled national dialogue but insist it cannot be achieved by “cutting corners.”