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The Citizen
9 hours ago
- Business
- The Citizen
Clarity sought on alleged R700m cost of National Dialogue
The Presidency's plan to hold a major National Dialogue in August is being criticised for its potential cost, lack of oversight, and uncertain agenda. The proposed National Dialogue has the potential to be another watershed moment for South Africa, as the Convention for a Democratic SA was in the early '90s. Picture: Gallo Images/Die Burger There are concerns about the lack of transparency around President Cyril Ramaphosa's proposed National Dialogue that is meant to take place in a few weeks. Ramaphosa said the country will hold the first leg on 15 August, with the second leg expected to take place next year. Local talks will be held before then. The purpose of this convention is to discuss South Africa's problems and find solutions to them. However, it has been met with anger following an announcement that it could cost more than R700 million. Unions and political parties call for accountability The government has stated that there is no definite figure yet. Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) spokesperson Matthew Parks said he is concerned about the abuse of state funds used for the National Dialogue. 'We can talk about figures like R10 million or R20 million, but R700 million is just ridiculous. 'Government can find ways of ensuring this is done in a manner that is more affordable. We just objected to a VAT hike, it would not make sense for us to agree to this,' he said. Conflicting statements over the proposed budget Parks said Cosatu had engaged with the Presidency and was reassured there is no final figure for how much the dialogue will cost. The amount of R700 million was first estimated by Nkosinathi Biko, executive trustee of the Steve Biko Foundation. ALSO READ: Ramaphosa announces 'Eminent Persons Group' to guide national dialogue – These are the people appointed 'Nothing has been tabled to parliament and Cabinet, so this is random ramblings from some officials and people from foundations,' said Parks. Questions about coordination and purpose Rise Mzansi spokesperson Mabine Seabe said: 'The touted R700 million price tag appears excessive, which is why Rise Mzansi will be engaging with President Cyril Ramaphosa on this matter and timelines both in the buildup to and after the National Dialogue. 'We will use our parliamentary oversight authority to ensure that every rand and cent is accounted for.' ActionSA parliamentary leader Athol Trollip said parliamentarians have not been given intricate details of how the National Dialogue will be coordinated. Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya told SAfm this week: 'There isn't a budget, there isn't a number or a cost that the government has committed to. 'All we have is what has been communicated as a proposal that the foundations have put forward. 'Government is going to be the fiscal custodian of the process and it has not yet engaged in formulating a budget. So the debate about R700 million is completely misplaced and unnecessary.' Dialogue 'must be ambitious' Dr Philani Mthembu from the Institute for Global Dialogue said the dialogue, if done correctly, can be an important tool in addressing problematic legislation and policies. ALSO READ: 'Bring all to dialogue': Experts insist national dialogue must be people-driven 'If this dialogue is compared to the Convention for a Democratic South Africa, then it needs to be ambitious in what it is trying to achieve. 'For instance, we must ask if this will open up the debate on reviewing the constitution, what elements of the constitution are working and which need to be revised. 'This dialogue could discuss issues such as electoral reform and whether we are ready for new systems that will hold those in power to account. 'It has to be ambitious, otherwise if we just discuss issues such as national cohesion and service delivery, we already know these challenges. Discussing the deep issues will have more impact.' A noble idea? Advocate Sipho Mantula, a researcher at Thabo Mbeki African School of Public & International Affairs, said the idea of a national convention is a noble one. 'Conventions are normally called when there is a national crisis or key issues that affect the country, from governance to the rule of law to the socio-cultural and economic conditions.' Mantula said all state organs and institutions should assist in ensuring the success of the National Dialogue and no-one should be left behind. 'It should begin with local conventions and then provincial conventions that ultimately lead to the National Dialogue,' he said. NOW READ: 'A meaningless publicity stunt by a limping president': EFF slams Ramaphosa's national dialogue call
IOL News
a day ago
- Business
- IOL News
Cosatu hails PIC's R3 trillion milestone as it urges vigilance against corruption
Cosatu commends the Public Investment Corporation's reaching an historic R3 trillion milestone. Image: File Trade union Cosatu on Wednesday lauded the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) for surpassing R3 trillion in assets under management, marking what it described as a historic milestone for the continent's biggest investment fund. The PIC, which primarily manages assets on behalf of the Government Employees' Pension Fund (GEPF), has seen significant growth from R2.7trl a year ago and R1.8trl during the Covid-19 pandemic. Roughly 87% of the PIC's funds are sourced from the GEPF, with additional contributions from the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) and the Compensation Fund, among others. "It is sacrosanct that at all times the PIC invests and manages these funds, workers' hard-earned monies, in a manner that expands and enables them to fulfill their legislative mandates of allowing public servants to retire in security and comfort, to provide relief to workers who've lost their jobs or support them whilst they are on maternity, parental or adoption leave; as well as to compensate workers' whose health and lives have suffered in the course of their occupations," Cosatu said. The union called on the PIC to ramp up development-focused investments, aligning with its legislative mandate to stimulate economic growth, create jobs, and promote sustainability. South Africa's economy has struggled to reach its growth targets, with Cosatu reiterating the need to reach and surpass the 3% threshold. The PIC, a state-owned asset manager, has in recent years faced scrutiny over governance lapses and exposure to politically connected investments. It has since undertaken reforms, including tighter oversight and risk management frameworks. 'Whilst appreciating the efforts by the PIC to shut out the lecherous hands of those who seek to enrich themselves at the expense of workers and their funds, it must remain hyper vigilant to these realities and do more as this cancer of corruption has not disappeared altogether and remains an ever present threat to workers, the nation and the programme of renewal,' the statement warned. Cosatu said it would continue to work closely with the PIC to safeguard workers' interests. BUSINESS REPORT Visit:
Daily Maverick
2 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
Reassessing SA's political holidays: Are they still relevant in our changing society?
While our public holidays that commemorate important events in our history should have a place in the calendar, it can sometimes feel as if fewer people care about the real reason for the day off. This apparent feeling seems to mirror the ANC's political decline. The two may well be related. South Africa, like many other countries, has public holidays that commemorate important political events. Who can deny the importance of 27 April? If you were alive in 1994 you may well remember voting yourself, or watching other people voting for the first time. Each of our political holidays (as opposed to religious and international holidays like New Year's Day or Christmas Day) commemorates something important. But they are also the result of the settlement involving the forces that were dominant during the early 1990s. For example, Cosatu and the union movement were powerful enough to ensure that there was a Workers' Day. If there had to be a negotiation process now, it is not certain that unions would have the power to force their will on this issue. At the time, there were only two major players. Famously, when there were negotiations on issues like public holidays, decisions were made by the concept of 'sufficient consensus'. In practice that came to mean when the ANC and the National Party agreed. It also meant that there were some clever solutions to difficult problems. The 16th of December is now the Day of Reconciliation. Battle of Blood River But its date was chosen to allow people to continue their celebrations of their victory over the Zulu nation in the Battle of Blood River in 1838 (the fact this battle occurred should put to bed the colonial myth that South Africa was 'empty' when white people moved into the interior of the country). While it could be argued that we most certainly do need a day of reconciliation, no one would argue now that it should be held on that date. But something else may now be happening. As we move further away from the historical events they are supposed to commemorate, they feel less important. If you were alive during the Sharpeville Massacre in 1960, you might well remember the horror when it emerged that so many people had been killed by the police in one incident. If you were not alive during that time, you might well ask why it is that Human Rights Day falls on that day, and not on the date of the Marikana Massacre (16 August 2012)? Especially, as the argument would go, when that date marks a moment when a democratic state used police to defend the interests of capital against workers. This was always foreseeable. While our society is still defined by racialised inequality, personal memories of apartheid may recede. This then leads to a question about whether or not our political public holidays should continue or if there should be a change. It is likely that the ANC would argue they should all remain. But in fact, it is possibly because of the ANC that there is also less support for some of our current holidays. For many years it has been common practice for government figures, who were all from the ANC at the time, to almost monopolise these events. The PAC has always been almost ignored on Human Rights Day for example, when it was they who led the march on the Sharpeville Police Station. Generations have now grown up who have seen only ANC figures on a stage during a public holiday commemoration. Strategy At the time, the ANC was doing this deliberately. It was part of a strategy to remind people that they must vote for the ANC because it was the ANC that had fought for freedom from apartheid. The impression being given was that the ANC was using these events to campaign. There were government stages and sound systems and celebrations, but all presided over by ANC figures. But as the ANC has lost credibility, so it may also have weakened the credibility of our political public holidays. It is true that some figures from other parties are now joining these events through the coalition. PA leader and Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie presided over the national government's Youth Day event on Monday, 16 June 2025. Interestingly, President Cyril Ramaphosa was not there. The keynote address was given by Deputy President Paul Mashatile. And his critics might well accuse him of using the event to campaign. Because while he is correct to say that youth unemployment is a 'moral emergency', it is interesting that he is only entering this debate now, while campaigning for the position of ANC leader. It is a well-known facet of human culture that the meaning and importance of past events shifts according to present-day dynamics. From time to time events and figures rise and sink in prominence as present day politicians seek to use them for their own ends. It is entirely possible, for example, that someone like Julius Malema could seek to make 16 December less about reconciliation, and more about a day to commemorate how white people took land from black people through violence. The fact that both the ANC's armed wing Umkhonto weSizwe and Jacob Zuma's MK were formed on 16 December suggests this date might well continue to carry important significance. Zuma could certainly continue to use the day to stir an ethnic nationalism of some kind. But some of our other public holidays might simply continue to recede to the point where questions are asked about why we retain them. National Dialogue This could be one of the questions that the National Dialogue has to grapple with. And it could reveal the relative strength of certain constituencies. For example, it seems unlikely that unions will have the power to make Workers' Day great again. And thus it could lead to that day falling away. Women's Day is both a symptom of the government's weakness (it has failed to stop so many women being killed by so many men) and a reminder of how deep the need for change is. But political formations formed to serve only the interests of women have failed to make important headway in our society in the past (the last party that tried this approach, Women Forward, won just over 6,000 votes in 2019). This suggests that few people will stand up to defend Women's Day, even if there is an important need for it. If there ever is a proper national debate about our public holidays, that will be a sign that the end of apartheid is no longer the foundation of our society. And it will reveal how power is shifting into a proper post-apartheid nation. DM
IOL News
2 days ago
- Business
- IOL News
Mantashe faces criticism over changes to mining law draft
Activists and experts have accused Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Gwede Mantashe of bowing to pressure from powerful mining companies. South Africa's Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Gwede Mantashe, is facing strong backlash over his recent changes to the draft Mineral Resources Development Bill. Critics say the revisions favour big mining interests at the expense of communities, the environment and the national push for economic transformation. Two key changes in the updated draft have sparked outrage. The first is the removal of the requirement for Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) participation in applications for prospecting rights. The second is the scrapping of a clause that required ministerial approval when control of a listed company holding mining rights changes. Activists and experts have accused Mantashe of bowing to pressure from powerful mining companies. David van Wyk, a respected researcher in the field, questioned the minister's intentions. 'Prospecting is where it all begins,' Van Wyk said. 'Companies make millions by selling these rights after identifying valuable mineral deposits. Without BEE, transformation becomes just a word. And when companies change hands without any oversight, it makes it easy for them to dodge their environmental and social responsibilities.' Van Wyk also warned about the consequences of poor regulation in the sector. 'We already have more than six thousand abandoned mines in this country. These are environmental disasters, and the communities around them suffer the most. If the minister is not informed when ownership changes, there is no one to hold accountable when something goes wrong.' Christopher Rutledge, director of the organisation Mining Affected Communities in Action, said the changes show how the government has shifted its loyalty from people to business. 'The Bill's amendments are not about fixing technical errors. They are a political decision that turns away from the goals of transformation and accountability,' he said. Rutledge believes the removal of BEE requirements in prospecting is a deliberate decision to maintain control of the industry in the hands of the same elite. 'This ensures the same old faces keep control of the mineral wealth. It opens the door to secret deals, takeovers and asset sales, with no regard for the people on the ground or the environment.' He added that the state needs to play a far stronger role. 'Public ownership of minerals and the mining process is the way forward. The revenue should support a sovereign wealth fund that benefits all South Africans, not just a few. Right now, the state-owned mining company barely has a footprint in the sector, and no one knows how much has gone into the sovereign fund.' Trade union federation Cosatu has also raised concerns. Spokesperson Mathews Parks said the federation would engage with Mantashe to get clarity on the goals of the changes. 'Legislation must be aligned with economic transformation. We cannot afford to backtrack now.' Meanwhile, the Minerals Council South Africa has welcomed some parts of the draft but says more work is needed to support investment. Public comments on the Bill will close in August, but for now, the debate continues over whether the government is acting in the national interest or putting profits first.
IOL News
3 days ago
- Business
- IOL News
R770 million National Dialogue bill sparks uproar: final say lies with finance minister
Finance Minister, Enoch Godongwana will have the final say regarding funding amid widespread criticism from trade unions and political parties. Image: Armand Hough / Independent Newspapers As questions swirl around the projected R770 million price tag for the forthcoming National Dialogue, Deputy President Paul Mashatile has confirmed that the ultimate decision on funding will rest with Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana. Last week, the National Dialogue preparatory committee announced that the process could cost as much as R770 million. This announcement has triggered public outcry and political scrutiny regarding government spending, with South Africa's largest trade union, Cosatu, and several political parties criticising the estimated figures. "COSATU like other sober-minded South Africans was amazed that anyone could even suggest the Dialogue should be allocated R700 rash thumb-suck budget figure should be dismissed as a verbal gaffe and a reckless typo better left deleted and forgotten," Matthew Parks COSATU Parliamentary Coordinator said. Deputy President Paul Mashatile confirms that Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana will hold the final say on funding amid widespread criticism from trade unions and political parties Image: GCIS The National Dialogue was initiated by President Cyril Ramaphosa and aims to promote inclusive discussions on the country's most pressing social, economic, and political challenges. "The dialogue will be a people-led, society-wide process to reflect on the state of our country in order for us to reimagine our future," Ramaphosa said. Speaking to journalists outside the North West University's Rag Farm Stadium on Monday, Mashatile said the minister of finance will have the last say on the budget. "Trade unions, the churches so it's going to be everybody what we are trying to come together as South Africans talk about our challenges but also solutions to our challenges. We want to come out of that dialogue and say this is the South Africa we want to build together," Mashatile said. "The issue of the costs, obviously, will be looked upon by the minister of Finance, and normally when there are activities like this, officials will start planning and projecting the costs. The minister will decide whether funds are available in that regard or we need to cut down". [email protected] IOL Business Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel
