Deputy President Paul Mashatile has announced the date for the inaugural national dialogue, sparking dissatisfaction from the Democratic Alliance (DA). The announcement came on 24 October, during a government of national unity (GNU) clearing house meeting, presided over by Mashatile. The GNU, a 10-member coalition established by President Cyril Ramaphosa, aims to resolve policy disagreements within the coalition.
Key issues discussed at the meeting included the controversial Basic Education Laws Amendment (Bela) Act and challenges surrounding provincial and local government coalitions.
National Dialogue Scheduled for December
Addressing the media before the meeting, Mashatile confirmed that the first sitting of the national dialogue would take place on 16 December. He mentioned that a special Cabinet meeting would precede the dialogue to finalise arrangements due to the time-sensitive nature of the preparations.
However, the announcement did not sit well with DA Federal Council Chairperson Helen Zille, who criticised the African National Congress (ANC) for proceeding unilaterally. “We made it clear, from the start of the GNU negotiations, that the national dialogue must be a joint initiative, planned and executed by the key GNU governance partners. But here goes the ANC, unilaterally as usual, as if they won the election,” Zille stated in a social media post.
President Ramaphosa had previously indicated that the national dialogue would focus on addressing “critical challenges facing our nation” and finding consensus on the path forward. All political parties
