The national dialogue process in South Africa has reached a critical phase following the completion of nominations for the long-awaited national dialogue steering committee.
According to the Presidency, 26 sectors have submitted their nominees, marking a major step toward forming the committee that will lead the next phase of public consultations.
The list of nominees has been handed to the Eminent Persons Group (EPG) for quality assurance. The EPG will then forward its recommendations to President Cyril Ramaphosa for final approval in his capacity as head of state and convener of the national dialogue.
Once approved, the steering committee will oversee nationwide public dialogues aimed at shaping the country’s collective response to social, political, and economic challenges. The Presidency said the appointments are expected to be finalised in the coming weeks.
President Ramaphosa confirmed that he has received the handover report from the Convention Organising Committee (COC), which has now completed its mandate. The COC was responsible for organising the first national convention in August after some foundations and political parties withdrew from the process.
In a statement, Ramaphosa expressed his gratitude to those who contributed to the success of the inaugural convention.
“As a country, we owe a great debt of gratitude to the members of the COC. Through a truly collective effort, the national convention proceeded smoothly and gave people from all sectors an opportunity to express themselves,” he said.
He also acknowledged the role of legacy foundations and civil society organisations that helped initiate the dialogue, adding that it is crucial to maintain the momentum and not allow public expectations to fade.
The Presidency stated that the EPG, inter-ministerial committee, and the Presidency will continue to safeguard the integrity of the process until the steering committee officially takes over.
Plans are also under way to establish a national dialogue secretariat at Nedlac to provide institutional support for the ongoing dialogue process.
