By Simon Nare
President Cyril Ramaphosa has urged the National Dialogue Eminent Persons Group to chart the way forward to put South Africa back on the path of transformation, development and progress.
Ramaphosa admitted on Friday that the country had regressed over the years, with a deterioration in governance and service delivery. There was also widespread corruption and a waste of public resources.
Addressing the first meeting of the group at the Union Buildings in Pretoria to kickstart the dialogue initiative, Ramaphosa said the country was beset with many challenges that needed people to sit around the table and brainstorm.
He was also concerned that people were disengaging from democratic processes. Last year saw the lowest voter turnout at the polls.
The economy was not growing and the number of unemployed people increasing despite the progress made in forging a united, democratic and just nation over the last 31 years.
“The National Dialogue is an opportunity to mobilise South Africans to address these challenges and restore our country to the path of transformation, development and progress.
“It is an opportunity to build on the achievements of the last three decades by defining a shared vision and a common programme to take the country forward,” Ramaphosa said.
The president said there had been increased access to housing, land, basic services, education and healthcare. However, despite the transformation, the vestiges of apartheid remained.
In the past, South Africans had come together in critical moments like this one to confront its difficulties and find solutions. The dialogue should draw from the country’s rich tradition of discussion, debate and united action, Ramaphosa said.
“We are a diverse people, with different cultures, languages, political traditions and viewpoints. While this diversity makes for robust and often noisy debate, it does mean that we have a wealth of experiences and perspectives on which to draw.
“The National Dialogue seeks to provide a platform for this richness of ideas to be brought to bear on the challenges we face. The National Dialogue does not displace the democratic processes mandated by our Constitution,” he said.
Ramaphosa said the group should not be discouraged by doomsayers and critics. It should be expected that it would be used to score political points or advance particular interests.
There have been reports that the dialogue will cost R700 million, which has already triggered a widespread outcry.
While the dialogue did not replace democratic processes, the president said it could deliver a social compact that outlined clear commitments and responsibilities for different stakeholders such as the government, political parties, business, labour, civil society, communities and individual citizens.
“The task that we have is to ensure that the outcomes of the National Dialogue can be institutionalised in a manner that informs and guides the direction our country takes.
“We have been clear that this dialogue must be as inclusive as possible. It cannot be partisan. It cannot favour one group or perspective over any other,” he said.
INSIDE POLITICS