The Pretoria Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), one of the capital city’s oldest business advocacy bodies, says it has been left out of this week’s National Dialogue, despite its potential to boost local business activity.
The three-day convention, set for August 15 to 17 in Pretoria, has drawn hundreds of delegates from political parties, business, labour, civil society, and grassroots movements. It is billed as a high-level platform to set an agenda for social and economic reforms over the next year, culminating in a second national session in 2026.
But the chamber, which has represented the city’s commercial sector since its founding in 1882, confirmed it was not formally invited to participate.
“We were unfortunately not formally invited to this session,” said PCCI strategic chief operating officer Nkosinathi Njoko.
“The Pretoria Chamber of Commerce and Industry would have greatly appreciated the opportunity to be part of the dialogue. We believe our participation would have allowed us to effectively leverage the session to mobilise assistance and promote local businesses, ensuring they could fully capitalise on such an important event.”
PCCI represents approximately 80 formally affiliated businesses in Pretoria. These members span sectors including automotive, retail and medical footwear, manufacturing, education, professional services, transport, financial services, construction and agriculture. Some operate across multiple sectors, giving the chamber a broad, cross-cutting economic footprint in the city.
The National Dialogue, organised under the Presidency, is being framed as a chance for different sectors to find consensus on pressing national issues, from political stability to economic growth. However, PCCI’s absence raises questions about how business representation is being managed, especially in the city hosting the event.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has repeatedly described the dialogue as a vehicle for “inclusive participation” and “a people-led, society-wide process.” When the initiative was announced, he said it must be “a place where everyone has a voice” and pledged to “give all sectors of our society – men and women, young and old, persons with disabilities, LGBTQI community, and urban and rural people – a voice to determine how we address the problems of today.”
In outlining the preparatory work earlier this year, the Presidency stated: “Invitations have gone out to organisations across the country,” adding that the dialogue “cannot favour one group or perspective over any other” and “needs to be citizen-led”.
For the chamber, these promises make its exclusion more difficult to understand. Njoko said such gatherings are critical for Pretoria’s business community to connect with decision-makers, showcase the city’s commercial potential, and secure commitments that translate into tangible growth. “We hope that the Pretoria Chamber of Commerce and Industry will be invited to participate in future sessions of this nature, as we are committed to fostering local economic growth and supporting our business community,” he said.
The chamber believes that, beyond political debates, the dialogue could have been an avenue to coordinate local suppliers, promote Pretoria’s investment profile, and ensure that smaller enterprises benefited from the influx of visitors during
the event.
For now, PCCI remains open to engagement with organisers, while the Presidency continues to call the National Dialogue a platform for all voices, though, in Pretoria’s case, that call has yet to reach its own business community.
