South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) has long aimed to improve its citizens' living standards. Since it came to power 31 years ago, the ANC has worked to expand freedom and deepen democracy. 

However, according to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, poverty, unemployment and inequality "are deep wounds that prevent us from reaching our full potential as a nation." 

Ramaphosa last year proposed the "National Dialogue" initiative, which was intended to tackle some of South Africa's most pressing challenges, including unemployment and crime. 

"I call on all South Africans, united in our diversity, to come together in the National Dialogue to define a vision for our country for the next 30 years," Ramaphosa said in February 2025 at the opening of Parliament.

Four months later, Ramaphosa announcedthat a National Convention would take place on Friday, August 15, to set the agenda and define South Africa's "path into the future." 

Foundation for change

The two-day convention will take place at the University of South Africa (UNISA) Muckleneuk Campus, in the country's administrative capital, Pretoria. It will represent South Africa's diversity — including leaders from government, politics, business, civil society, religions and other groups, who will lay the foundation for solutions to South Africa's major challenges.

Social inequality has remained a significant challenge in the three decades since the apartheid system of white minority rule ended in 1991. Crime, unemployment, and infrastructure issues — particularly in the energy sector — hinder economic development.

Jakkie Cilliers, chairman of the Board of Trustees at the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) in South Africa, told DW that the National Dialogue got off to a "chaotic start." 

Seven well-known foundations established by former ANC leaders and liberation fighters, such as the Steve Biko Foundation, the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation, and the foundation of former President Thabo Mbeki, have withdrawn from the process. They consider August 15 to be too early a starting point. "Dialogue cannot be built on haste," the foundations said in a statement.

"What began as a citizen-led initiative has unfortunately in practice shifted towards government control," the statement added. "August 15 was set at the request of government officials. Pushing for this date undermines "a critical moment in which citizens should be leading."

Anzio Jacobs disagrees with the criticism. He is the coordinator of the Civil Society Dialogue Committee and head of the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund's child protection program. He helped prepare the National Dialogue with many civil society organizations.

"When we counted at the beginning of this week, all nine provinces of South Africa were represented. We reached 85,000 ordinary South Africans who are waiting for the dialogue process and are ready to participate," Jacobs told DW. He believes South Africans are tired of waiting any longer.

Dialogue without coalition partners

There are also political disputes with the ANC's new coalition partner, the pro-business Democratic Alliance (DA), which draws strong support white South Africans.

For a year now, since the ANC's historically poor election result, it has been forming a government of national unity with the former liberation movement, but ideological differences have hindered unity.

The recent dispute over the dismissal of Andrew Whitfield, the DA's deputy minister for trade and industry, almost led to the party's withdrawal from the coalition in June. The DA then withdrew from the dialogue initiative.

DA chairman John Steenhuisen described the National Dialogue as "expensive talk shop without action, without reform and without a plan” in view of the provisional costs of 700 million rand (around €35 million/$40 million).

A comprehensive dialogue on sustainable change in South Africa without the largest partner in the coalition government raises doubt about the its success.

Cilliers sees considerable problems. "At present, there is uncertainty about the purpose of the dialogue and what will happen. So we will discuss our problems. But how do we link the national dialogue to a long-term development plan for South Africa?" she asked. 

Lack of determination on the part of the government

In Cilliers' view, "the problem is that South Africans do not believe that further talks will solve anything. The real problem is that the government lacks determination and is not taking action."

The analyst pointed out that South Africa has had several commissions of inquiry — for example into corruption scandals involving former President Jacob Zuma. Cilliers believes that the subsequent government did not respond adequately when it came to taking action.

"What South Africans are looking for, in my opinion, is a process based on analysis that can then be put up for debate and discussion, leading to concrete measures and putting the country on the path to growth," Cilliers noted.

"Nothing is more important in South Africa than boosting the economy so that we can create jobs, reduce unemployment, and reduce inequality. These are some of the challenges that the National Dialogue must address."

This article was originally published in German