By Lesedi Sibiya-Diplomatic Insider 

South Africa sees the first convention of the National Dialogue, in which the citizens and various organizations of South Africa will have the first hand opportunity at conversing with the government on various issues that keep the citizens of South Africa marginalized and unequal. The National Dialogue was held at UNISA Pretoria in the Main Hall where various delegates, Ministers and the President of South Africa were all in attendance. 

The purpose of the National Dialogue is aimed at opening up a nationwide conversation covering a variety of different issues ranging from Gender-Based Violence and Femicide, Unemployment, economic inequality, religious and cultural inclusion.

 The proceedings opened up with faculty members from UNISA thanking the president for the opportunity to host the dialogue. 

President Cyril Ramaphosa then took the stage to acknowledge all the key members of the event for all the efforts they put in to ensure a successful first implementation of the national dialogue. 

“We are meeting at a time of profound challenges that confront our country and our people. Economic hardships that our people are living under, unemployment that continues to rise, inequality that besets our people, growing poverty, and the crisis of confidence in our institutions.” said Cyril Ramaphosa in addressing the attendees of the dialogue.

 “We also meet at a time when the world is rapidly changing and our own ability to adapt and renew ourselves will define the next generation. But history teaches us that relations are not defined solely by their difficulties. Nations are defined by how they respond to the challenges that confront them.” added Ramaphosa.

 The President made mention of the other notable and key attempts at national dialogue initiatives such as the Freedom Charter, Truth and Reconciliation Commission among others which represent how South Africa, historically, have always moved towards healing through dialogue.

 “We have always managed to solve the most intractable problems that have confronted our country. We gathered together, and let me add that even as dialogues have happened in our country, there have been moments where others have chosen not to participate.” 

 The President had also made mention that it’s important for leaders to fully realise how crucial having dialogues are in order to fully stay in touch with the people that they are leading and be held accountable where there are faults; “It is also about getting leaders to be able to realise what worries South Africans and how leaders themselves can be engaged in understanding the lives of South Africans and be accountable…Through this process, we want our people to meet in hopes and community. We want them to meet in Churches, in Synagogues, in Mosques and temples.”

The day then proceeded into focused groups in which various organizations received the opportunity to speak on all of these various topics highlighted by the president. The event will end on the 16th of August.