Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za
3-minute read
15 August 2025 | 17:12 CAT

📸 National dialogue kicks off amid boycott by Legacy Foundations over government control concerns.

The much-anticipated national dialogue, set to begin today in Pretoria, has been overshadowed by a very public dispute between President Cyril Ramaphosa and former president Thabo Mbeki, alongside the Mbeki, Tutu, Biko, and De Klerk Foundations.

The Legacy Foundations, original proponents of the national dialogue concept nearly two years ago have withdrawn from the event, joined by several political parties. Their central grievance: the process has shifted from being civil society-led to government-controlled.

According to ASRI’s Muhammed Cajee, the foundations envisioned a citizen-driven dialogue distinct from previous state-led initiatives such as the National Development Plan and commissions of inquiry. “A civil society-led initiative has much more credibility and is a much more authentic process,” Cajee explained.

However, President Ramaphosa’s recent announcement that the process would be overseen by the National Economic Development and Labour Council (NEDLAC) effectively placed it under the Presidency’s control, a move that triggered the withdrawals. Critics argue the gathering risks becoming “a PR exercise for the ANC rather than an authentic engagement with citizens.”

Cajee questioned the utility of the R700 million price tag, pointing out that the dialogue is unlikely to reveal anything new. “We don’t need a national dialogue to know that citizens want reliable electricity, clean water, functional hospitals, safe communities, and quality education,” he said. “Spending that much money for a year-long process that tells us what we already know is wasteful.”

Instead, he urged the government to focus on implementing recommendations from the Zondo Commission, improving service delivery, and addressing systemic corruption.

Analysts suggest two possible motives behind the Presidency’s determination to proceed. The cynical view is that controlling the process allows the ANC to shape the narrative ahead of upcoming municipal elections, avoiding potentially damaging criticism from independent bodies.

The more generous interpretation is that both Ramaphosa and Mbeki recognise a fraying social contract between citizens and the state, and see the dialogue as a way to renew trust and avert civic unrest.
For Cajee, the National Dialogue could have real value if redirected toward systemic reforms — particularly electoral reform and state procurement overhaul. “These are issues worthy of a national conversation,” he said. “We must be careful not to cheapen this format into petty politicking.”

As the dialogue opens without key civil society players, questions remain over whether it will be a platform for genuine reform or an expensive exercise in political optics.

Listen to the ASRI Report on Sabahul Muslim with Moulana Habib Bobat and Muhammed Cajee.