General News

SA’s former President foundation pushes for national engagement

Date: Jul 6, 2025

South Africa’s (SA) former President’s Thabo Mbeki Foundation has emphasised the importance of public participation in the upcoming National Dialogue, calling on South Africans to reclaim their democratic voice and shape the country’s future.

This call was made during an outreach session held yesterday at North-West University’s Potchefstroom campus. The event was a collaborative effort by the Foundation, the Strategic Dialogue Group, and the university.

The gathering comes in the wake of criticism from Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen, who recently dismissed the National Dialogue scheduled for next month and announced that his party would not take part.

Speaking at the event, the Foundation’s Chief Executive Officer, Max Boqwana, said the dialogue is meant to restore the principle of citizen sovereignty in a democracy that, over time, has become increasingly centralised in the hands of political elites.

“Since the dawn of democracy, ordinary citizens have gradually lost their agency. Some in positions of power now act, think, and plan on behalf of the people, as if the public no longer matters,” Boqwana said. “This process is about returning to the fundamental idea of We the People. No political leader can rightly claim authority unless that authority is based on the will of the people.”

He stressed that the National Dialogue is a platform to reignite that collective will and ensure that decisions reflect the voices of South Africans from all walks of life.

--ChannelAfrica--

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