Making SA’s national dialogue truly inclusive: A Mandela Day blueprint for unity and progress

When President Cyril Ramaphosa launched South Africa’s National Dialogue last week, it reignited a powerful hope - that our fractured nation could come together, once again, to chart a shared path forward. 

The timing could not be more fitting. As we celebrate Mandela Day, we are reminded of Madiba’s unwavering belief that dialogue is the most powerful tool we have to resolve our deepest differences and build a society grounded in dignity, justice, and unity.

But to succeed, this dialogue must do more than gather leaders behind closed doors. It must be fully inclusive, reaching every corner of our country and every voice of our society. That’s not just a political imperative - it’s a moral one.

From Soccer to Solidarity: The Lessons of 2010

We’ve seen before what unity can look like in South Africa. When we hosted the 2010 FIFA World Cup, it wasn’t just a sporting event—it was a national movement. I had the privilege of serving as the Head of the Brand Ambassador Program, where tens of thousands of ordinary South Africans became storytellers, hosts, and leaders. Townships, rural villages, corporates, and taxi ranks all felt the electricity of shared purpose.

That success wasn’t accidental. It was built on inclusive planning, local ownership, relentless communication, and a vision that made every citizen feel like a stakeholder.

If we want this dialogue to leave a legacy like 2010 did, it must follow the same blueprint - but with deeper intent.

Begin with a People’s Charter for Dialogue

As Mandela did with the Codesa talks, we must ground the process in a clear and public mandate. A National Dialogue Charter should be co-created with representatives from all sectors - civil society, business, labour, youth, academia, traditional leaders, and opposition parties.

It must outline the dialogue’s purpose, scope, structure, and principles - including equity, transparency, and citizen ownership. Let the public comment. Let them shape it.

Mandela taught us that process shapes outcome. If we begin with inclusion, we end with legitimacy.

Representation Is Not Enough - We Need Participation

Inclusion isn’t just who sits at the table. It’s who helps set the table. To honour Mandela’s commitment to grassroots democracy, we must ensure representation from:

• Youth, through dedicated tracks and forums that centre their future.
• Women, as equal decision-makers across all levels.
• Townships and rural communities, through locally hosted forums in community halls, churches, and schools.
• Labour and informal workers, through platforms linked to Nedlac.
• Disabled citizens, by investing in accessible venues, interpretation, and transportation.
• Immigrants, refugees, and ethnic minorities, whose voices are often silenced but whose futures are tied to ours.

In 2010, we went out to the people. We brought the event into their spaces. The dialogue must do the same.

Multiple Entry Points for a United Conversation

Not everyone can attend a summit in Pretoria. But everyone can participate and play a role. The dialogue should follow a three-tiered structure:

• Community Listening Circles, gathering local concerns and aspirations.
• Provincial Dialogues, to synthesise and elevate key issues.
• The National Summit, where diverse voices deliberate and ratify the People’s Agenda.

Digital engagement must play a core role - using WhatsApp, SMS, and radio call-ins to capture rural and urban insights alike. The 2010 model of Fan Fests and mobile activations can inspire a National Dialogue Roadshow - bringing the conversation to taxi ranks, campuses, and marketplaces.

Independent Oversight for Real Accountability

Mandela never feared being held accountable - he welcomed it. The dialogue must follow that example. We need a Public Inclusion Council, independently appointed, to:

• Audit demographic and geographic representation,
• Ensure fair access,
• And publish monthly Inclusion Scorecards.

This is not window dressing. It is trust-building infrastructure. And without it, the process risks becoming an elite ivory tower.

Let Citizens Influence the Outcome

The greatest danger is that this becomes another talk shop. Mandela warned us many a time of dialogue without delivery. That is why the dialogue must lead to action:

• Adopt a Participatory Consensus Model, advancing ideas with broad, cross-sector support.
• Implement the Top 10 Public Recommendations within government and business reform agendas.
• Use Citizens’ Assemblies to resolve difficult policy impasses.

Much like the infrastructure, training, and tourism strategies left behind in 2010, this dialogue must leave a visible legacy - of laws changed, lives improved, and promises kept.

Use Culture and Storytelling to Build Unity

Mandela knew the power of storytelling to heal and inspire. So must we. Let this dialogue come alive through art, music, murals, and oral history. Partner with poets, singers, and media producers to make the process tangible and moving.

In 2010, the vuvuzela became a national symbol. In 2025, let it be the voice of the people themselves.

Conclusion: A Mandela Day Challenge

As we reflect on Mandela’s life today, we remember not only his words, but his method:

“It is never my custom to use words lightly. If twenty-seven years in prison have done anything to us, it was to use the silence of solitude to make us understand how precious words are and how real dialogue is.”

This National Dialogue is our opportunity to listen again. To each other. To our past. To our possible future.

Let us honour Madiba’s legacy - not with commemorations alone, but by designing a process that restores dignity, inspires unity, and delivers justice. The time for real, inclusive, courageous dialogue is now.

Dr Nik Eberl is the Founder & Executive Chair: The Future of Jobs Summit™ (Official T20 Side Event) and author of Nation of Champions: How South Africa won the World Cup of Destination Branding

*** The views expressed here do not necessarily represent those of Independent Media or IOL

BUSINESS REPORT