Let the dialogue begin. Let all voices be heard.
 
Dear Fellow South African,
 
The first National Convention of the much-anticipated National Dialogue concluded on Saturday afternoon with a resounding call for the conversation among South Africans to begin.
 
The convention, which was attended by just over 1,000 delegates from organisations drawn from all sectors of society, was the kick-off for thousands of public dialogues that will take place for the next few months and into the beginning of next year. 
 
The public dialogues will take place at a local level in wards and at a sectoral level. Citizens will also be encouraged to organise their own dialogues, bringing people together to discuss the issues that concern them and to look for solutions to the challenges they face.
 
The outcomes of each of these dialogues will be recorded and collated through a special digital platform. There will also be mechanisms in place to enable those without access to the technology to submit the outcomes of their dialogues.
 
All of these discussions will culminate in a second National Convention to be held during the first half of 2026. It is anticipated that this convention will produce a clear vision for the country and adopt a social compact that outlines the roles and responsibilities of all sections of society, from citizens to the arms of the state, from business, labour, traditional leaders, religious bodies to civil society, activist and civic organisations. The form and content of these outcomes will ultimately be determined by the South African people through their discussions.
 
The first National Convention reflected the great diversity of our country’s people and their enthusiasm to get involved in the debate. Delegates were clear that citizens themselves must determine the issues discussed and must use whatever approaches and methods that suit them and their circumstances. They noted that what might work in a densely-populated city may not work in a rural area where villages are far apart. What might work in a sector that is well organised may not work among people who may not be part of organised formations.
 
There was a strong emphasis at the convention on inclusion and participation, with some delegates expressing concern that important voices were missing from the gathering. There was a firm view that special efforts should be made to reach and include groups and people who were often left out or marginalised.
 
Preparations for the National Dialogue have been underway for many months, drawing together foundations of struggle stalwarts, civil society bodies and the Presidency. They were given the responsibility to organise the first National Convention and lay the basis for the public dialogues that would follow it.
 
The convention was the moment at which the people of South Africa would take over the National Dialogue. Delegates discussed the formation of a Steering Committee, consisting of nominees from all sectors of society, to take the process forward. Each of the sectors held discussions at the convention on how they would select their respective nominee for the Steering Committee by the end of August 2025. They agreed that these processes need to be inclusive and that the Steering Committee needs to be representative.
 
In taking the National Dialogue forward, the Steering Committee would be supported and guided by the Eminent Persons Group, prominent South Africans tasked with championing the dialogue and providing advice. The Eminent Persons Group will also advise the Head of State as the convenor of the National Dialogue to ensure that it is inclusive and credible.
 
There should be no person, no part of society and no institution – either public or private – that is excluded from the conversation. The dialogue should break down the barriers between ‘insiders’ and ‘outsiders’ and challenge notions of ‘us’ and ‘them’. At the same time, we should not seek a form of unity that is based only on sentiment, but a unity that is forged through constructive and honest discussion on the difficult questions our country faces – and an agreed programme of action.
 
We should not be afraid to disagree. Disagreeing is part of engaging in a meaningful and robust dialogue. It is through the expression of different views that we will be able to give full legitimacy and credence to the dialogue. We should therefore make a determined effort to air our differences with a view to finding agreement on the actions we need to take together to build a better society, in which every person has an equal opportunity to prosper.
 
We are about to embark on one of the most important undertakings in the history of our democracy. We all have a responsibility to make it work. Let the dialogue begin and let every voice be heard.
 
With best regards, 
 

The National Dialogue must be a place for women to raise their voices
 
Dear Fellow South African,  
 
On 9 August each year, we celebrate Women’s Day, where we commemorate the 1956 Women’s March on the Union Buildings. The march was a political protest against the apartheid-era pass laws, but it was also a powerful assertion of women’s agency.  
 
It signalled that the women of South Africa, who were at that time relegated to the status of perpetual minors by the apartheid regime, would not be passive bystanders as their lives were profoundly affected by policies made about them, without them.
 
On Friday this week, organisations from across South Africa will gather at the National Convention in Pretoria to kickstart the National Dialogue process.  
 
Given the history of women’s struggles in our country, it is therefore to be expected that at this critical moment in our history, women will once again come to the fore and participate actively National Dialogue process.
 
When we announced the National Dialogue we said that it will bring together individuals and organisations from across society to find common ground and new solutions for our country’s many challenges. 
 
Women make up more than half of our country’s population. Women are affected by every political, social and economic issue in the country. Likewise, every crisis, whether it is unemployment, crime or climate change, affects women equally and, in some instances, more than men.
 
Recognising that the lives of women are bound up with the future of the nation as a whole, we are counting on women’s groups and organisations to mobilise around the National Dialogue process.  
 
As government, working in partnership with the various stakeholders, we have committed to ensuring women are equally represented across the structures supporting and guiding the process. 
 
If we are to remain true to our objective of giving all sectors of society a voice as we build the South Africa we want, we have to ensure that all women are represented. This means a concerted effort to mobilise young and old, urban and rural dwellers, women from different ethnic and linguistic communities, women with disabilities, and LGBTQI+ people.  
 
The reality is that women’s struggles are not all the same and we should not assume they are. Although they may be similar in certain respects, the issues and challenges facing rural women and women in traditional communities differ vastly from those of women in urban areas with access to education, resources and public services.  
 
This was one of the points made at last year’s South African Women’s Pre-National Dialogue convened by the Institute of Justice and Reconciliation. It emphasised that the National Dialogue process should focus on all issues affecting and impacting women, and that diverse perspectives and priorities of all South African women must be reflected. 
 
As the Government of National Unity we seek to drive the strategic priorities of inclusive growth and job creation, tackling the effects of poverty and the high cost of living, and building a capable, ethical and developmental state.  
 
We remain committed to ensuring that gender is mainstreamed in all government policy and that a gendered lens is consistently applied to every challenge when developing and implementing solutions. No government decision should be made without due consideration of how it impacts women specifically. 
 
Throughout periods of profound change in the history of South Africa, women have organised to ensure that their voices, consent and participation remained central to all decisions affecting them either directly or indirectly. 
 
The inclusion of the gender equality clauses in the Freedom Charter was heavily influenced by the Federation of South African Women (FEDSAW) formed in 1954. More than three decades later, the Women’s National Coalition, which was formed in 1992, played a formative role in ensuring that these passages were reflected in South Africa’s democratic constitution.  
 
From the protests against the pass laws, to the so-called beer-hall protests of 1959, to the rent boycotts of the 1980s, to the contemporary protest movements against gender-based violence, South African women have a proud history of standing up and being counted.  
 
With the first National Convention taking place during Women’s Month, we call on all sectors of society to come together to ensure the full participation of all women in the National Dialogue. This would be the most fitting and powerful tribute to the legacy of the pioneers of 1956. 
 
With best regards, 

Happy Women’s Month!

Every year in August, South Africa celebrates Women’s Day, paying homage to the more than 20 000 women who marched to the Union Buildings on 9 August 1956, to protest against the extension of Pass Laws and the Urban Areas Act.

This year marks the 69th anniversary of the historic march and the 30th anniversary of the first official National Women’s Day. This year’s celebration will be held under the theme: “Building Resilient Economies for All”. The overarching purpose of this commemoration is to promote women’s participation and representation in leadership and the economy.

As we commemorate Women’s Day and Women’s Month, we salute the achievements of women over the years, including their pivotal role in transforming the nation, and contributions to socio-economic development. This celebration is also a clarion call to accelerate the role of women in the economy and empower them as well as tackle the complex barriers, such as poverty, inequality and unemployment, that hinder their development.

South Africa must adapt quickly in a turbulent trade environment
 
Dear Fellow South African, 
 
The decision by the United States to impose a 30% tariff on South African imports highlights the urgency with which we have to adapt to increasingly turbulent headwinds in international trade.
 
The US is South Africa’s second largest trading partner by country and these measures will have a considerable impact on industries that rely heavily on exports to that country and on the workers they employ, as well as on our fiscus.
 
Domestic sectors such as agriculture, automotive and textiles have historically benefited from duty-free access to the US market under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
 
Our trade relations have historically been complementary in nature. South African exports do not compete with US producers and do not pose a threat to US industry. It remains our aspiration that this should continue. Largely, our exports are inputs into US industries and therefore support the United States’ industrial base. South Africa is also the biggest investor from the African Continent into the US, with 22 of our companies investing in a number of sectors including, mining, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and the food chain. 
 
South African imports ultimately benefit US consumers in terms of both choice and cost. By way of example, citrus production is counter-seasonal and does not pose a threat to US production. Furthermore, production by US companies has been on the decline for a number of years as the US sector grapples with low yields, a citrus greening disease and other factors unrelated to competition from imports. Imports from South Africa, the world’s second largest citrus exporter, have filled a gap and contributed to stable supply and prices for US consumers. 
 
As government, we have been engaging the United States to enhance mutually beneficial trade and investment relations. All channels of communication remain open to engage with the US. 
 
Our foremost priority is protecting our export industries. We will continue to engage the US in an attempt to preserve market access for our products. We must also accelerate the diversification of our export markets, particularly by deepening intra-African trade.
 
With a view to helping our producers and exporters aggressively explore alternative markets, we have established an Export Support Desk to assist affected producers. We will in due course be announcing the modalities of a support package for companies, producers and workers that have been rendered vulnerable by the US tariffs. This intervention will also play a key role in guiding industries looking to expand into new markets in the rest of Africa, Asia, the Middle East and markets we already have trade agreements with. 
 
Strengthening regional value chains will be key to building resilience for our export markets in the longer term. Much as strengthening and establishing alternative value chains will take time, this moment presents us with an opportunity to push forward with the implementation and expansion of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Reducing over-dependence on certain markets is a strategic imperative to build the resilience of our economy. It will also enable us to expand the frontiers of opportunity for South African businesses, goods and services.
 
In the coming months we will be scaling up our trade missions into new markets in Africa and beyond, as well as the National Exporter Development Programme whose aim is to grow the pool of export-ready companies. 
 
It is important to understand that South Africa is not alone in facing high tariffs from the US. A number of export-reliant developed and developing economies, including several on the continent, are also grappling with these measures. 
 
The international trading system is changing. Complacency will not serve us, and building resilience is imperative. As government we remain committed to ongoing engagement with the US and building trade resilience.
 
With best regards,