Mbeki explains why foundations pulled out of National Dialogue
Former president Thabo Mbeki has explained why several prominent foundations withdrew from South Africa’s planned national dialogue, citing a lack of credibility, rushed planning, and concerns over the misuse of public funds.
Speaking at UNISA on Friday during the In Conversation with the Students on Local and Global Issues event, Mbeki said the dialogue had been conceived as a non-partisan, citizen-led platform to confront the country’s enduring social and economic challenges.
“We know the problems of poverty and inequality,” said Mbeki. “The issue is not lack of knowledge, it’s that we haven’t been able to solve them. Never mind the election manifestos, none of them has helped us fix the problem.”
He proposed that a national dialogue be convened by ordinary South Africans, not political parties, and approached a group of legacy organisations to lead the initiative, including the Thabo Mbeki Foundation, the Nelson Mandela Foundation, the Steve Biko Foundation, and others.
“Fortunately, they agreed,” Mbeki said. “But I was never part of the preparatory task team. I left it in their hands.”
Max Boqwana, CEO of the Thabo Mbeki Foundation and a member of the task team, detailed how the process later veered off track.
He said the team was taken to court by a trade union leader who accused them of using the dialogue to benefit the ANC and of attempting to access government funds through irregular means.
“We responded in detail. This had nothing to do with helping the ANC,” said Boqwana. “We made it clear that no foundation or task team member would touch a cent. Any resources would be handled transparently through NEDLEC.”
The court dismissed the application. But shortly after, Boqwana said, a group of individuals emerged claiming to take over the process, insisting that a national convention be held at UNISA within eight days.
“One of them even said, ‘Here is R28 million — it has just landed on my phone,’” Boqwana said. “This was exactly what we had been falsely accused of. We couldn’t stay involved in a process that had become so compromised.”
He added that the original design of the dialogue was to include detailed preparation, with 30 societal sectors ,from youth and women to faith groups and traditional leaders, engaging with research and accessible discussion documents developed by academics and summarised by universities.
“This wasn’t meant to be another imbizo,” Boqwana said. “It was to be serious, inclusive and intellectually grounded. You can’t do that in eight days.”
When attempts to delay the process and rebuild credibility failed, the foundations informed the Presidency that they would withdraw.
“The preparations were underwhelming. The process had lost its seriousness. We could not go along with it.”
A youth representative from the task team was more direct: “Let us make no mistake about it, the national dialogue has been hijacked.
“It is our duty now as the citizens of South Africa to reclaim this national dialogue by whatever means necessary.”
He thanked Mbeki for initiating the process, saying: “The youth of South Africa deserve a national dialogue whereby they have the chance to co-create solutions by their own African hands for the future.”
Boqwana confirmed that despite the withdrawal, the foundations are not abandoning the project. “We are working to develop that confidence-building process, we are not prepared to allow this process to fail. It may be the only thing that saves this country from abyss.”
The foundations are now in talks with the Eminent Persons Group appointed by the president to rebuild confidence in the dialogue and chart a credible path forward.
hope.ntanzi@iol.co.za
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