AfriForum, Solidarity join legacy foundations in withdrawing from National Dialogue

Controversial lobby groups Afriforum and Solidarity have announced they are pulling out of the upcoming National Dialogue, days after key legacy foundations also withdrew from the highly anticipated event.

The first National Convention is set to take place at UNISA’s main campus in Pretoria from August 15 to 16, 2025.

Speaking at a media briefing on Tuesday, Afriforum CEO Kallie Kriel said the two lobby groups had decided not to participate in this weekend’s national dialogue.

“The reason for that is simple. The current process has been captured by the ANC as well as President Ramaphosa,” he said.

Kriel claimed Ramaphosa had turned the national dialogue into an ANC monologue.

“They want to dictate the agenda and they expect us to just listen. The fact is, we must remember the crisis in the country, where it comes from. It’s because of many years of ANC mismanagement, corruption, as well as failed policies.”

“So why on earth would we want to trust the reason for a crisis to drive the agenda and prescribe the solution? This dialogue should be in the hands of civil society.”

“We will continue to push for that, but while we’re pushing, we must continue our discussions on a grassroots level with various communities. Every forum has done so for many years.”

“That is why we have agreements with various communities: the Barolong, Busuleka, Namabele and Bakgatla communities. These are not just talkshops - or well, it’s not talk shops - but these discussions are converted into agreements and practical projects.”

“That is where we see the future with real dialogue and cooperation. I see a great future, not because of President Ramaphosa and the ANC-led government, but despite them,” Kriel said.

Meanwhile, Dr Dirk Hermann, chief executive of Solidarity, also announced his organisation was pulling out of the dialogue.

“Dear President Ramaphosa. The people of South Africa want to talk, but do not want to talk to you. You have lost the trust of South Africans,” he said.

Hermann claimed citizens saw the national dialogue in its current format for what it is: a state-sponsored ANC revival project.

“With all due respect, we are not interested in the revival of the ANC. People of South Africa have begun a great dialogue, but it is different from the so-called national dialogue. People are talking in their workplaces, around the braai, at sporting events and in churches about a longing for a different dispensation,” he said.

“They do not want to have nice talks with an ANC-led government; they want them gone. The great dialogue already began at the ballot box when the ANC was punished by 40%. This was the first vote of the people.”

“After the people’s voices were heard at the ballot box, more voices were raised that the community should talk to each other. This was initiated, among others, by some of the foundations.”

Hermann said the idea of a national dialogue was born from an imploding ANC, which is leading the Government of National Unity (GNU).

“The ANC was alarmed by this and hijacked the spontaneous community dialogue. The national dialogue became a state dialogue. It was born in the Union Buildings by you, as president, wearing an ANC robe. The moment that happened, the national dialogue was stillborn.”

“The need for dialogue came from the community. It is precisely because of a deep rift with the government that people want to talk about a different kind of dispensation.”

He said the government feels threatened by this type of dialogue and has therefore decided to hijack it.

“The government does not want to engage in open dialogue, but rather wants to determine the agenda and outcome of the dialogue in favour of the ANC. They are, with very good reason, afraid of a dialogue that will expose them even further.”

“The voices of people who want to speak cannot be silenced by trying to control them. Solidarity and the larger Solidarity Movement like to talk. We have a history of talking and will continue to talk.”

“However, we believe even more in doing. We don’t just talk, we build alternatives. Take a look at what we have already built.”

Hermann said they are going to talk to unions, foundations, cultural communities and other civic organisations.

“We are going to talk about the larger community’s frustration with the ANC-led government. We are going to talk about how things should look different and what needs to be done.”

He said they will participate in community dialogue but not state dialogue.

“Mr President, leave our community alone. We want to talk about South Africa beyond the current ANC. We are so looking forward to it. We are going to talk, and our talks will not be hijacked,” Hermann added.

The National Dialogue, however, has been rocked by the withdrawal of several prominent organisations, including the Steve Biko Foundation, Thabo Mbeki Foundation, Chief Albert Luthuli Foundation, Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation, WDB Foundation, Oliver and Adelaide Tambo Foundation, and the Strategic Dialogue Group.

In a joint statement issued on Friday, the group said the decision was made with “deep regret” but was necessary to protect the process’s credibility and integrity.

They accused the organisers of shifting the initiative away from its citizen-led origins towards government control.

“What began as a citizen-led initiative has unfortunately in practice shifted towards government control,” the statement read.

Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa said the upcoming National Dialogue must serve as a platform for “women to raise their voices”.

With the first National Convention taking place during Women’s Month, he called on all sectors of society to come together to ensure the full participation of all women in the National Dialogue.

“This would be the most fitting and powerful tribute to the legacy of the pioneers of 1956,” he said in his weekly newsletter on Monday.

Thousands of community dialogues across the country are expected to form part of the National Dialogue process, and 60% of the costs for the project will be funded by the government.

This was said on Monday by National Convention organising committee spokesperson Reverend Zwoitwaho Nevhutalu, who clarified that the widely discussed R700 million budget for the national dialogue was not a government allocation but a draft figure prepared by the preparatory task team.

The clarification comes after the estimated R700 million price tag ignited criticism from trade unions, political parties, academics, and sectors of civil society - especially in a context of austerity measures, service delivery failures, and deepening inequality.

Speaking at a media briefing at UNISA on Monday about the state of readiness to host the first convention, Nevhutalu said, “The budget that people were talking about, the R700 million and so on, was a budget prepared by the preparatory task team. It’s not a government budget.”

He added that the conceptual funding framework envisages 60% of costs being covered by the government through the fiscus, while the remaining 40% would come from donors in cash and in kind.

Contributions would be sought from businesses, the private sector and civil society, with organisations such as churches and municipalities providing infrastructure and venues.

“Civil society has already done a lot,” he said.

Nevhutalu further stressed that the initiative is a “people’s project” and not solely a government undertaking.

He said, therefore, that most of the proposed funding would go towards community dialogues, which are planned to take place in every ward across the country.

“It is expected that we’re going to have three dialogues per ward for the duration. I think it comes to like 13,600 dialogues,” he said.

These sessions will focus on grassroots discussions about the future vision of South Africa.

He added that the budget remains provisional, with the Treasury still in discussions over the government’s contribution.

Entities will also be approached and mobilised by the steering committee and eminent persons groups to secure additional support, he said.

“This is a people’s project. It’s not something that is really a government project,” Nevhutalu said.

National Convention organising committee chairperson Boichoko Ditlhake said 775 individuals have been invited from over 30 sectors and more than 200 organisations.

“As of Monday, 557 people from 28 sectors had confirmed attendance,” he said.

simon.majadibodu@iol.co.za

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