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Ramaphosa launches national dialogue to mend a “broken” South Africa
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday inaugurated a “national dialogue” in Pretoria, aiming to address what he described as the many “broken” aspects of the country. The initiative comes just over a year after the general elections of May 2024.
Ramaphosa highlighted the severe challenges facing Africa’s most industrialized economy: high unemployment, deep inequality, growing poverty, and persistent gender-based violence that leaves many women living in fear.
The opening session, held at the University of South Africa, will continue until Saturday and marks the start of a six-to-eight-month process of community-level debates. These discussions are expected to generate proposals for a “pact” to be formalized at a second convention in 2026.
According to the World Bank, South Africa remains the most unequal country in the world. Unemployment surpassed 33% in August, rising to over 46% among people aged 15 to 34, according to the national statistics agency.
The ANC-led coalition government, in partnership with the center-right Democratic Alliance, has struggled to deliver on economic promises amid repeated political disputes. The International Monetary Fund forecasts GDP growth of just 1% in 2025, following 0.6% last year.
Economic pressures are also mounting due to 30% U.S. tariffs on most South African exports, a measure the central bank warns could cost up to 100,000 jobs.
Former president Thabo Mbeki, a long-standing rival of Ramaphosa, boycotted the convention, accusing the government of taking over what began as a grassroots civic initiative.