Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za

4-minute read
12 August 2025 | 14:00 CAT

The FW de Klerk, Steve Biko, Thabo Mbeki, Chief Albert Luthuli, Tambo, Tutu Legacy Foundations & Strategic Dialogue Group have formally withdrawn from the 15 Aug National Dialogue Convention, citing a breach of core principles.📸 FW de Klerk Foundation X

Just days before the much-anticipated National Dialogue kicks off in South Africa, several key legacy organisations, including the FW de Klerk Foundation, have withdrawn, citing serious concerns about poor planning, lack of transparency, and a process they say is hijacked by government interests.

In an interview with Radio Islam International, Christo Van Der Rheeder, spokesperson for the FW de Klerk Foundation, explained that the withdrawal followed months of engagement with the government but growing frustration over the direction and management of the dialogue process. “We wanted this to be a bottom-up process, that communities take ownership of the dialogue and have discussions at the community level, come up with an action plan, a time plan to change things for the better,” Van Der Rheeder said. However, he noted, “We haven’t had any budget forthcoming from the government. We’ve noticed that the planning was in disarray.”

Van Der Rheeder stressed the importance of community-driven participation, warning that the current government-led approach risks turning the National Dialogue into a “tick-box exercise” serving political agendas rather than the people’s interests. “Our fear is that it’s just going to become manipulated by the presidency, by government to achieve political outcomes that serve a political agenda,” he stated.

The FW de Klerk Foundation and allied organisations, including the Mathuri, Mbeki, and Tutu Foundations, had formed a preparatory task team last year to design a participatory and transparent process. Van Der Rheeder emphasised the necessity of mobilising communities across racial and cultural divides to take ownership of democracy and hold local municipalities and politicians accountable. “We want brown, black, white people to come together within specific communities and say, we have these kinds of problems. How do we hold our municipalities, our councillors, our political parties to account?”

He also highlighted South Africa’s enduring socio-economic challenges, saying, “We are paralyzed by what has happened the past 30 years… massive inequality, poverty, crime, and unemployment.” He called for restoring “communities’ self-organizing ability” to build local networks that can actively participate in democratic processes and improve governance.

With youth unemployment unofficially estimated between 60 and 70 per cent, Van Der Rheeder underscored that poorly functioning municipalities and rampant corruption have devastated towns and driven business away. “We need to empower communities so that they become co-creators of local democracies and take ownership of their own futures.”

Despite withdrawing from the official convention planned for the weekend, Van Der Rheeder confirmed that the FW de Klerk Foundation will continue to support grassroots dialogues, underscoring the urgent need for a genuinely inclusive and transparent national process.

The government, meanwhile, has indicated that the dialogue will proceed as scheduled, raising questions about its legitimacy and capacity to unite South Africans in addressing the country’s pressing challenges.

Listen to the full interview on Sabahul Muslim with Moulana Sulaimaan Ravat and Christo Van Der Rheeder.