Presidency denies reported R700 mln National Dialogue budget

Presidential Spokesperson Vincent Magwenya briefs members of the media on the President’s programme and addresses recent developments of interest at the Imbizo Media Centre, Parliament on February 5, 2025.

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The presidency has sought to clarify details surrounding the cost of the National Dialogue.

This comes after the National Dialogue Preparatory Committee estimated that the initiative will cost over R700 million, resulting in a wave of criticism from trade unions, political parties and civil society.

The dialogue will begin with a National Convention scheduled for August 15, followed by community engagements across the country.

The aim of the dialogue is to discuss solutions to the country’s challenges.

Presidential Spokesperson Vincent Magwenya says, “There isn’t a budget, there isn’t a number or a cost that the government has committed to. All we have is what has been communicated as a proposal that the foundations have put forward. Now the foundations are not going to be the fiscal custodians of this process.”

Magwenya says, “Government is going to be the fiscal custodian of the process and government has not yet engaged in a process of formulating a budget. So, therefore, the debate of R 700 million is completely misplaced and completely unnecessary.”