DA calls National Dialogue 'one-sided' as it prepares to table plan in Parliament to boost economy

Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen on Monday stated that while the country "bleeds with a failing economy" and high unemployment rate, R700-million will be spent on the upcoming National Dialogue, which he sees as a "talk shop with no action, no reform, no plan, and by the looks of things, dwindling support with the announcement of further withdrawals from major foundations in South Africa."

In few days, the Government of National Unity (GNU) is expected to hold its first National Convention in Pretoria, in preparation of the National Dialogue.

Last week, seven legacy foundations announced their withdrawal from the structures of the National Dialogue Preparatory Task Team and the related National Convention, citing violations of the dialogue's core principles.

The DA had also announced its withdrawal from the National Dialogue weeks back, after President Cyril Ramaphosa fired one of its Deputy Ministers from office.

Flanked by his DA Ministers at the party's headquarters in Bruma, in Gauteng, Steenhuisen described the National Dialogue as an illegitimate initiative, that he said lacked credibility.

"…even former President [Thabo] Mbeki has now come to the same conclusion as the DA," he said.

In July, in an open letter addressed to Steenhuisen, Mbeki accused the DA of undermining an inclusive, citizen-led initiative that intends to create a new national consensus.

He argued that the DA's continued participation in the GNU, while refusing to engage in the Dialogue that is meant to shape the country's political future, represented a contradictory and ill-considered stance.

The cost of the National Convention had also been a point of contention since it was announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa in June, however, on Monday National Convention organising committee chairperson Boichoko Ditlhake, said that there were reduced costs associated with the hosting of the National Dialogue and the funding plan are done with the intention to reduce the burden on the national fiscus.

Steenhuisen said his party has not been invited to be involved in the organisational and conceptualisation of the dialogue, and that it was "one-sided" and was being driven by the African National Congress (ANC).

"We felt that it was being abused as a political process by the ANC, to try and reconnect with the voter base after the past elections," said Steenhuisen.

He said these concerns were confirmed in a letter Mbeki wrote to him, indicating that he had been in discussion with the ANC and the party's National Executive Committee around the formulation of the dialogue.

Steenhuisen said it is important that GNU partners "learn to dialogue", highlighting that a National Dialogue cannot take place when the 10 parties under the GNU are not able to have a conversation with each other on the way forward.

He said South Africans are tired of talk-shops and colloquium symposium, noting that the problem is the implementation of policies.

"…and here we are about to embark on another talk-shop that will never be implemented. We know what South Africa's problems are, we have a poor economic growth, crime and a situation of deepening equality that still exist," he said.

DA'S PLAN TO BOOST THE ECONOMY

Steenhuisen outlined a set of "non-negotiable" demands for reform that it says will kickstart the country's economy and set South Africa on a path to growth and jobs.

He told Polity that he was confident that the plan will shift sentiment, drive the economy forward, and ensure that South Africans have a "fighting chance" to grow businesses.

He explained that his party would target what it believes are three major roadblocks - Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE), Employment Equity and the Expropriation Act.

The DA has been vocal about these policies, with the party calling for comprehensive red tape reduction and deregulation across the entirety of the So...