Reflections on the National Convention as the road map for the National Dialogue

On my way back home from the dialogue, a conversation was sparked with an Uber driver from Jukulyn in Sohanguve, who was relaying the story of how the police and private security have resorted to escorting bakery delivery trucks in his area due to a rise in violent crimes. His tone and demeanour when sharing this story indicated that he perhaps sees nothing wrong with this scenario and that the community in Jukulyn has grown accustomed to such.

This made me question just how normalised violence and lawlessness have permeated society. The resulting outcomes of austerity measures and a lack of prosecution in criminal cases have rendered South Africa a haven for obscene levels of chaos, where communities, businesses and government officials are victims of extortion. In recent years, we have seen a rise in organised criminal syndicates that have captured government structures, thereby hindering public officials from carrying out their services, leading to a decline in service delivery. The phenomenon of construction and water mafias is one that requires more than dialogue; it necessitates active intervention by the government to address the rot within the system.

It was on this note that the convention resumed, with numerous scenarios highlighting the dysfunction at different levels of our communities. High rates of unemployment, corruption, and femicide were the most glaring. Although this past weekend was not the national dialogue itself, the national convention marked the beginning of a process of various dialogues to be spearheaded by citizens. The two-day convention served as a roadmap to determine how dialogues will be carried out in communities and how critical this process is in setting a new social compact. The convention was attended by approximately 1,200 delegates from various sectors across the country. Those in the room occupied an important position of potentially influencing how the process moves forward.

Key highlights from the convention.

While the speeches ensued and the formal opening process was observed, no time was wasted. In conference-style discussions, two points that stood out for forging ahead were highlighted, firstly by Ms Nomfudo Mogapi, founder and CEO of the Centre for Mental Wellness and Leadership. She emphasised the need to address the woundedness of our nation and that the conversations to be had should adopt a trauma-informed approach, recognising that solutions to our problems must address people’s basic needs while taking into account their brokenness. Thereby driving this idea of healing together, particularly when taking into consideration the levels of intergenerational trauma that still inform our identities today and shape how we relate as a result of the years of injustice inflicted on our people.

Second to this was a conversation about having the difficult discussions that everyday people face. Sinesipho Soxujwa, from the Unemployed People’s Movement (UPM), said that “we must oblige the private sector to invest in the communities instead of extracting from them and not giving back. We must ensure a living wage to uplift people trapped in poverty.” She hit the nail on the head when it comes to current issues plaguing young people in the country. Both of these points highlight the current realities that South Africans face, and it is these realities that the upcoming dialogues in communities must reckon with.

Central to the convention were dialogue labs, which were breakaway sessions organised into nine different themes: job creation, crime and corruption, education, fixing the state, strengthening our social fabric, GBVF, intergenerational trauma, land and environmental justice and poverty inequality, being the focal sectors for delegates to begin conversing. During this process, delegates began to unpack what they wanted to change, how they wanted to change it, and the pressing matters that needed to be resolved in society to move South Africa forward. They also envisioned a future where divides and impediments are eradicated.

From the report-back sessions, key takeaways included calls for a crime-free South Africa, an accountable government, the introduction of reforms to eliminate poverty and inequality, and the creation of an inclusive economy to restore livelihoods, as well as a need to uphold inclusivity in policymaking, among others.

Critical role to be played by civil society and NGO’s towards ensuring the dialogue process is a fruitful engagement

While it is not a secret that it is NGOs that took on the mammoth task of forging ahead with the planned convention, when foundations like the Thabo Mbeki Foundation, Steve Biko Foundation and FW De Klerk Foundation pulled out of the planning phase as a result of various issues tied to funding and misalignment within the organising committee. Working under tight time constraints and with a limited budget, it was a race against the clock to ensure that the hosting venue at UNISA was filled to capacity.

The logistical aspect of the convention did highlight the loopholes as a result of the rushed manner in which it was planned. A member of the differently abled community had to point out how the space served as a significant constraint, impeding his full participation in all breakaway conversations. With this being said, the reasons why the foundations pulled out make sense, particularly when we reckon with the idea that the convention was not representative enough and that more could have been done to ensure inclusion for all members of society.

However, the work demonstrated by those who heeded the call demonstrates the active and important role played by NGOs, particularly in filling in the gaps where the government cannot reach. The convention organising committee, composed of a mix of representatives from civil society, the presidency, NEDLAC, and UNISA, demonstrated how the work of the steering committees, which are still in the process of being finalised, will unfold. It was emphasised that the process for steering dialogues in communities should be citizen-led, and resources should be pooled from different sectors involved, including businesses, civil society leaders, NGOs, and ward committees, to ensure that these conversations are adequately provided for. We now await the conclusion of this process so that more information can be shared.

Key points of contention to note as we move forward

While the convention was a good starting point for filling in the blanks and highlighting key issues that need attention in our respective communities, the skeletal process shared this past weekend still requires a lot of work. Over the next two weeks, the process of selecting steering committees will take place, and once those have concluded, the final list will be shared, which will include twenty-two sectoral representatives from the labour and trade union sector, faith-based organisations, the media, academia and civil society, to mention a few. The sectoral committee should comprise two representatives from the presidency, three from the preparatory task team, and three additional individuals with relevant experience. This will result in a total of 30 team members.

The function of the steering committee is to give directive and advance the dialogues. They will be the drivers overlooking the implementation of this process in different provinces and across wards. What will be done with discussion pointers emanating from communities remains unknown as yet, as more information will be made available once the committee has been formed. It is here where critical caution has to be exercised to ensure that the process remains self informed, citizen-led and much of what comes out from this eight month long process, serves communities and advances their different plights instead of a few elites.

Forging of a social compact is a huge undertaking, and it requires active participation from all of us. It is also particularly important for citizens to act as watchdogs to ensure that public service officials, political parties and NGOs do not hijack this process in attempts to represent the voiceless. The National Dialogue can serve as an integral driver in reviving active citizenry in communities. For a long time, the voices of those on the margins have been overlooked; this process is an opportune time for grassroots activist to shape their own dialogues.

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References:

Gauteng Water Crisis and Construction Mafia Are Big Worries for Business by Khumalo. K. for BusinessLive. 20 November 2024. https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/economy/2024-11-20-gauteng-water-crisis-and-construction-mafia-are-big-worries-for-business/

Jukulyn: The place called hell where residents are haunted by violence, crime by Mashego. A. for News24. 07 January 2024. https://www.news24.com/citypress/news/jukulyn-the-place-called-hell-where-residents-are-haunted-by-violence-crime-20240107

Ramaphosa urges South Africans to join National Dialogue. SABC News. 18 August 2025. https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/ramaphosa-urges-south-africans-to-join-national-dialogue

Rejigged Organising Committee Formed After Withdrawal of Legacy Foundations From The National Dialogue Task Team by Moodley, S. for Polity. 11 August 2025. https://www.polity.org.za/article/organising-committee-formed-after-withdrawal-of-legacy-foundations-from-national-dialogue-task-team-2025-08-11

The rise of extortion in South Africa: A growing threat to businesses and communities by Majola. G. for IOL. https://iol.co.za/business-report/economy/2024-11-18-extortion/

Why Six Key Foundations Have Pulled Out of The National Dialogue by Mafisa, I. for The Citizen. 08 August 2024. https://www.citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/politics/why-six-key-foundations-have-pulled-out-of-the-national-dialogue/

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About the Author:

Thabisile Miya is a member of the Activate Change Drivers Writing Hub. She is a Master’s candidate in the field of governance and public policy at the University of the Witwatersrand. She is passionate about digital media and advocacy.