Legacy foundations of stalwarts, including those of ANC veterans such as the Thabo Mbeki Foundation, have pulled out of the National Dialogue Preparatory Task Team and the First National Convention of the National Dialogue scheduled for August 15.
The groups expressed concern at what they deem as attempts by the government to hijack the National Dialogue, which was meant to be a “citizen-led” process.
Among their objections is what they term the rushed National Convention scheduled for next Friday, which they believe should only take place two months from now, on October 15.
The National Dialogue, birthed by former President Thabo Mbeki, has been a contentious issue since President Cyril Ramaphosa officially announced it.
This pulling out of the legacy foundations is not the first by parties that initially expressed concern to drop out.
The DA did so after Ramaphosa fired Andrew Whitfield as deputy minister.
Lack of credibility
The legacy foundations have stated their reasons for pulling out of the Preparatory Task Team as motivated by a lack of credibility and a public trust deficit in the manner in which things have unfolded.
“What began as a citizen-led initiative has unfortunately in practice shifted towards government control. 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 rushed timeline, constrained logistics, and limited interactive design mean that the proposed convention no longer offers a meaningful platform for engagement. The structure risks becoming symbolic rather than substantive—more performance than participation. We cannot lend our names to a gathering that does not allow for genuine dialogue,” reads the joint statement issued on Friday.
“The continued absence of a confirmed, approved budget allocation and a last-minute commitment of initial funds has made sound preparation impossible. This raises real risks of a poorly organised and unaccountable process.
“Fixation on the August 15 date risks turning the convention into a performative milestone, rather than a meaningful launch of a national process. Deadlines cannot override substance. Dialogue cannot be built on haste,” the statement goes on.
“We will continue to champion the core principles at the heart of the National Dialogue: that it is citizen-led and is committed to the fundamental transformation of South Africa for the benefit of all its people. To the extent that the National Dialogue meets these principles, we will continue to be supporters and participants.”
The alarm bells raised by the group come days after Ramaphosa raised his own reservations about the National Dialogue.
In his closing address at the ANC NEC meeting on Monday, Ramaphosa cautioned against the National Dialogue being a parallel government.
“We must be clear that the National Dialogue does not displace the democratic processes mandated by our Constitution. Its outcomes cannot supersede the electoral mandates that parties carry into Parliament and the Executive,” said Ramaphosa.
“The first National Convention will be held on 15-17 August 2025, bringing together around 1,000 delegates from more than 30 different sectors. This National Convention is intended to set the agenda for the National Dialogue and outline how the National Dialogue will unfold in localities across the country over the next 8-10 months.”
The foundations representing the legacies of Steve Biko, Chief Albert Luthuli, Thabo Mbeki, Oliver and Adelaide Tambo, FW de Klerk, and Archbishop Desmond and Leah Tutu are adamant that in its current form the Preparatory Task Team has veered off the rails.
