SAUSIC National Spokesperson Pastor Lesiba Kgwele
Now that the much-hyped first National Convention has come and gone and the National Dialogue will get underway soon, Tshwane Talks has asked some of its readers to submit comments and opinions in this regard.
Unfortunately their comments have been heavily edited due to lack of space and also to make sure that each of them gets their comments published.
We express our sincerest apologies to them in this regard.
1. DR RENEVA FOURIE (SACP MEMBER)
The National Dialogue is a vital process as it recognises that genuine change is born from the ground up, and that for it to be meaningful it must be inclusive.
It is regrettable that the first National Convention excluded organised left formations.
The South African Communist Party (SACP), long a champion of dialogue, represents a large constituency of the poor and the unemployed.
The National Dialogue is our opportunity as South Africans to close the gap between citizens and the government, renew mutual trust and recommit ourselves to the Freedom Charter’s principles.
2. PHALANE MOTALE (VETERAN JOURNALIST AND EDITOR)
We welcome the National Convention as it is a process designed to give citizens a direct role in shaping solutions to the country’s deepest challenges.
But let the governing party step back a bit and allow delegates to take the driver’s seat.
Let the government do the listening instead of using the process as a launching pad for elections.
The people want to be heard and in order to bring about a better South Africa, more young people should be lured to the table of the National Dialogue because at the moment there are too many senior citizens who are the faces of the process, but I believe that if a young person had been entrusted with the task of being national spokesperson of the Convention such a gesture would have made a huge difference.
3. SELBY MOYO (PAC MEMBER AND FORMER 1976 MAMELODI STUDENT ACTIVIST)
It seems like people are not going to take this dialogue seriously considering the current goings-on.
The on-today, and off-tomorrow behaviour of some organisations doesn’t command confidence in the process.
This attitude may be construed as a half-hearted commitment on their part by ordinary citizens.
Of course it is not a secret that some political parties are playing politics; indeed for others the National Dialogue is an opportunity to score political points and put their best foot forward in preparation for the upcoming elections.
There are many examples which make the whole National Dialogue exercise unnecessary and futile.
This as all that people want is to see their localities being served as expected and opportunities being created for them and their children to make an honest living; they are tired of hand-outs that lower their dignity.
4.PASTOR LESIBA KGWELE SAUSIC NATIONAL SPOKESPERSON
The foundation laid by the first National Convention inspires hope that the National Dialogue itself will reset the country’s development agenda and address challenges facing us as a country.
Though unrealistic expectations and suspicion characterised engagements held at the weekend between delegates and representatives of the National Convention, we are confident that these were part of the birthing process to usher a new chapter for our maturing democracy.
It is not yet late for unpatriotic pessimists to also come on board because failure is not an option as we owe it to future generations to reclaim our deferred dream of a united, non-racial and non-sexist prosperous nation.
5.JULIA MOGALE (MAMELODI RESIDENT)
This National Dialogue is an expensive good-for-nothing unnecessary public relations exercise that is not inclusive at all.
The ANC has dismally failed to implement the resolutions of the Freedom Charter as adopted at the Congress of the People conference held in Kliptown, Soweto in 1955.
There are no schools to speak of in the rural areas; the education and health systems have not been sustained countrywide, the economic system has not has not been maintained, people are still landless and learners are still using pit latrines(toilets) in many parts of South Africa.
The unabated corruption with no consequence management coupled with failure to address the debilitating issue of foreigners has made the situation worse in South Africa.
Who does the ANC expect to implement the National Dialogue resolutions going forward because they (the ANC) have failed to be in charge of the country but have instead protected their corrupt Comrades and officials?