Preparatory committee estimates National Dialogue will cost State over R700 million
The dialogue will include a national convention on 15 August 2025 and a wide range of public and community engagements held across the country.
National Dialogue Preparatory Task Team members (from left to right) Mduduzi Mbada, Oyama Mabandla and Nkosinathi Biko at a media briefing in Johannesburg on Friday, 13 June 2025. Picture: Alpha Ramushwana/EWN.
JOHANNESBURG - The National Dialogue preparatory committee estimates that the National Dialogue, established by President Cyril Ramaphosa, will cost the State over R700 million.
This was announced by the preparatory committee tasked with leading the dialogue at a media briefing in Johannesburg on Friday.
The dialogue will include a national convention on 15 August 2025 and a wide range of public and community engagements held across the country.
ALSO READ: SA's National Dialogue boasts a task team to steer public engagements
The convention will bring together government officials, civil society and other key figures to set the agenda for the public engagements.
The preparatory committee for the National Dialogue is preparing to submit its draft budget to the government, estimating expenditure exceeding R700 million.
These funds will primarily support numerous community engagements scheduled to take place throughout the country.
Committee member Mduduzi Mbada recognises the substantial cost but stresses that the spending will deliver value for money.
"Democracy is not cheap. Building a nation is very costly. The next thing we are going to do is to present the draft budget and workshop that budget. Just to pull the provinces and municipalities is an estimation of probably more than R700 million."
The plan is to go into every community in the country to discuss challenges faced by ordinary South Africans.
The public engagements will form the basis of an action plan to lead the country forward.
CITIZENS ENCOURAGED TO PARTICIPATE IN NATIONAL DIALOGUE
The preparatory committee is calling on all South Africans to participate in this nationwide conversation.
The chairperson of the preparatory committee, Nkosinathi Biko, says the dialogue will be beneficial to citizens.
“As President Ramaphosa said in his address on Tuesday, it is an opportunity to forge a new social compact for the development of our country. A compact that will unite all South Africans with clear responsibilities for different stakeholders; government, business, labour, civil society, men and women.”