The first National Convention gets underway on Friday at the University of South Africa (UNISA)’s Main Campus in Pretoria.
UNISA views the convention as an opportunity for the government to rectify past mistakes. The university’s Professor Boitumelo Senokoane says the institution has allocated R5 million for this event.
Meanwhile, the Presidency has announced that the National Convention and National Dialogue will proceed as planned, notwithstanding the decision of the Foundations to withdraw.
The Foundations have expressed concerns regarding the integrity and preparation involved in what are intended to be inclusive and citizen-driven gatherings.
The Presidency’s Spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya explains, “The reality is that the show will go on and South Africans will continue with the dialogue process and hopefully at some point, not only the Thabo Mbeki foundation but other foundations will find it amongst themselves to participate in the process and realise that there’s no benefit out of boycotting the people of South Africa.”
He adds, “They’re not boycotting the President, they’re not boycotting government, they’re boycotting the people of South Africa in their exercise. And therefore, those who choose not to participate are not in any shape or form disadvantaging the president, or government, for that matter.”
PODCAST: Interview with Magwenya on SAFM’s First Take Programme regarding National Dialogue:
Boycott
Last week, several prominent legacy foundations announced their withdrawal from the gatherings. They include the Steve Biko, Thabo Mbeki, Chief Albert Luthuli as well as Oliver and Adelaide Tambo foundations.
The National Convention will pave the way for the National Dialogue, which will take the form of public dialogues across the country over several months.
The South African Council of Churches (SACC) has made an impassioned plea to the foundations that have withdrawn from participating in the National Convention to reconsider their decision.
The SACC General-Secretary, Rev Mzwandile Molo says, “It’s a call for a national redirection of our country, otherwise if we do not work together, whatever solutions are, at best they are going to be partial, at worst they will mean nothing because we are not all putting our shoulder to the wheel.”
Molo says, “To those who are organised, have the humility to know that we must make sure that everybody participates. For the EPG (Eminent Persons’ Group) as a moral voice of the process to please spend time trying to get others, to the president of the country, Mr President, let’s look beyond politics and work very hard to unite our people. That’s the only way we can transform where we are going as a country.”-Additional reporting by Sthembile Shabalala.
Playlist: National Convention
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=videoseries
