National dialogue strife

'JOINT INITIATIVE': DA, ANC FALL OUT AS EXPERTS CALL FOR INCLUSIVITY

- Eric Naki

The envisaged national dialogue may be hit by a storm of disagreements before it even starts. There is a general feeling that the process should be as inclusive as possible with civil society playing an important role instead of it being left to the narrow ideological confines of political parties.

The national dialogue is back on the national agenda after Deputy President Paul Mashatile discussed the issue this week in the government of national unity (GNU) clearing house – a mechanism with representatives of the 10 political parties represented in the GNU.

The clearing house was initiated by President Cyril Ramaphosa with the aim of resolving issues that parties disagreed over to avoid a crisis.

But already the ANC and the DA were at each other's throats after DA federal council leader Helen Zille challenged the ANC for undertaking the national dialogue initiative without consulting other GNU parties.

"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.