Prominent foundations withdraw from National Dialogue
Some
of South Africa’s most prominent legacy foundations have pulled out of the
upcoming National Dialogue Convention set for next Friday.
The Steve Biko Foundation, Thabo Mbeki Foundation, Chief Albert Luthuli Foundation, and the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation are among the groups withdrawing their support.
They said core principles meant to underpin the process have been violated.
In a joint statement, they said the National Dialogue must be citizen-led and a platform for all South Africans to shape a shared vision.
They argued a government-led process would lack credibility.
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They said the dialogue must also be inclusive, transparent, and accountable, with no room for corruption or mismanagement of funds.
They said their decision to withdraw, follows government’s push to go ahead with the 15 August convention against expert advice, sidelining citizens and sacrificing core values for the sake of speed.
They warned that the rushed timeline and poor planning mean the event no longer offers a meaningful space for engagement.
The foundations are calling for the convention to be postponed until after 15 October to allow time for credible planning and genuine public participation.
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