Ramaphosa Warns Boycotters: “You’ll End Up Like the PAC” as National Dialogue Kicks Off

The first National Dialogue convention has barely begun, and already the drama is spilling into the political arena. On Friday, President Cyril Ramaphosa used his opening address at the University of South Africa (Unisa) to call out political parties, NGOs, and high-profile foundations that refused to take part, warning they could “find themselves like the PAC”, sidelined and politically irrelevant.

It was a pointed jab aimed at those choosing to watch from the sidelines instead of engaging in what Ramaphosa describes as a “once-in-a-generation conversation” about South Africa’s future.

A Tent Big Enough for Everyone

The National Dialogue is set to roll out across the country, with community-led discussions in schools, churches, mosques, temples, boardrooms, and even factory floors. Its aim is bold: to put ordinary South Africans at the centre of diagnosing the nation’s problems and shaping the solutions.

“This we cannot do when we sit on the sidelines and criticise,” Ramaphosa told attendees. “We need to be inside rather than outside the tent.”

The President framed the process as a way for South Africans to share fears, heal wounds, and bridge divides that have deepened since democracy’s early days.

Talking About the Hard Stuff

Ramaphosa didn’t shy away from naming the country’s most painful issues. From gender-based violence to stubborn racial inequality, from entrenched poverty to the glaring gap between rich and poor, the President said the dialogue must confront uncomfortable truths.

“Why do South African women have to live in fear of the men of our country?” he asked. “Why, after democracy, are the prospects of a white child so much better than those of a black child?”

Social media reaction has been split. Supporters say the process could finally push leaders to listen to communities, while critics dismiss it as another expensive talk shop unlikely to deliver action.

Mbeki’s Absence and ANC Infighting

The event also highlighted tensions within the ANC itself. Former president Thabo Mbeki, whose foundation has been one of the loudest voices calling for a national dialogue after the ANC’s historic election loss, skipped the convention entirely.

His absence follows the Mbeki Foundation’s withdrawal from the planning committee, a move that ANC chairperson Gwede Mantashe publicly criticised, saying, “When you are in leadership, you must let go when there is a new leader. The convention is not about us, it is about South Africans.”

ANC insiders insist relations between Mbeki and Ramaphosa remain cordial, but the optics suggest a deeper rift over how and when the dialogue should happen.

The Bigger Picture

Ramaphosa’s PAC comparison wasn’t just political shade it was a warning. The Pan Africanist Congress, once a formidable force, faded into political obscurity after refusing to engage in certain post-apartheid processes. The message was clear: participation in national moments matters if you want to shape the outcome.

Whether this National Dialogue becomes a catalyst for real change or just another well-meaning gathering will depend on how much weight the government gives to what communities say and whether those currently standing outside the tent decide to walk in.

{Source: The Citizen}

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