The world is redefining
the role of politics, and society is increasingly shifting into the digital
realm. The practice of politics is exponentially scaling to meet the demands of
interests. This can only mean that governments and the private sector need a
culture shift if they want to stay relevant. It is time to advance the type of
politics that reflect the best of human nature. For South Africa, inaction is a
response this country cannot afford. 

The nature of RSA
politics is ubiquitous in almost all aspects of being South African. Our
tormented past has made it easy for all of our dysfunction to be rationalised
as its outcome. As we evolve as a democratic order, somewhat characterised by a reluctance to see ourselves as one sovereign nation, many of us are justifiably concerned about how the profound effects of our tormented past could impact our future. 

As a society, we must
establish clear priorities for directing and curating the promise of
liberation, its use in shaping our nation, by reflecting on two key
questions: What do we value most as a society, and what do we want to protect?
What should being South African value most, despite overlooking it? Over the
past three decades, we have shared moments of national pride that defy
description in words. If those moments are a few of the most valuable things
about being South African, what could be?

Clarifying our consensus
about what constitutes the injustices of a past we have all agreed we must
recognise, and our uniquely South African call to heal the divisions of the
past, is of vital importance in any imagination of ourselves beyond where we are.
We must be distinguished by how we live our nation’s founding values of human
dignity, the achievement of equality, and the advancement of human rights and
freedoms, as well as non-racialism and non-sexism, and a belief in the
supremacy of the Constitution and the rule of law. 

Sovereign nationhood,
amid other functions, like a mirror, shows the world our true face and nature,
and not what is ideal. Our artificial nationhood, as represented by rituals
such as a national anthem, flag, animal, flower, and so on, might, if not well
managed, be used to pursue a non-unified nation agenda. To build a South Africa
for the future requires humility and cognitive flexibility. This is because if
we fill our nationhood with hate and our public squares with dishonesty, if we
live in anger and violence, if we demonise difference and attack truth, we can
all imagine what kind of future generations we would have bred. 

If our competence to be
different, often disguised as being diverse, as a nation grows or is
institutionalised, it is important to reflect on the ends of our obsession with
difference, more than what commonly defines us. Responding well to a common
nationhood and all its positive narratives requires flexibility and nimbleness,
while harnessing its potential necessitates an optimistic, change-oriented, and
future-defining mindset. 

As our reluctance to
engage in a national dialogue is choking the decision to convene one, it might
be prudent to reflect on whether the dialogue can benefit South Africa.

Firstly,
we must reaffirm our purpose with the National Dialogue. In the context of the
Government of National Unity and the reality of being in coalitions for a
foreseeable period, we need to reaffirm whether our post-May 2024 frame as a
nation still requires the dialogue we envisioned before the new political power
reconfigurations.

Secondly,
we must assess the readiness of the core political parties, civil society
movements, the business community, and the government, as the most active
agencies of the nation-state, to embrace the spirit of the dialogue. It is the
full implications of starting the conversation that must be assessed, as the
outcome might redefine how we ultimately see ourselves as a nation. 

Thirdly,
we must view the uncertainty that accompanies the true agenda of the national
dialogue as a virtue. The nation must adopt a mindset of change. 

Fourthly,
we must consider statewide readiness. The process should determine whether
national institutions of leadership possess the necessary skills, knowledge,
and attributional base, as well as the personnel required to work toward
the desired outcomes of the National Dialogue. 

Although the above are
not absolute, they are sufficient to generate better scenarios with which we
can expand into other areas of ideation. At its core, the National Dialogue is
committed to revitalising the vision of the South African Constitution by
encouraging democratic engagement, transparency, and accountability across
society. It aims to empower citizens, promote national unity, and ensure that
every South African, regardless of their background, can participate equally in
shaping the nation’s future. By developing practical solutions and fostering
cross-sector collaboration, the dialogue will promote the values of justice,
fairness and human rights.

South Africa’s National
Dialogue is billed to be an initiative designed to address the country’s
socio-economic and political challenges by creating a citizen-led platform for
democratic renewal and national cohesion. It seeks to address systemic issues,
including service delivery dysfunctions, economic and social justice,
inequality, and a growing deficit in government-citizen trust. It will foster a
shared vision for South Africa’s future, grounded in the values of the
Constitution and driven by the collective aspirations of its people. The
Constitution and how we embrace it as a nation will constitute the core of
several shifts, we need as a society to reconfigure ourselves to be a
competitive nation and economy.