By Gofaone Motsamai
Thirty years ago, South Africans gathered around negotiation tables to confront a painful history and chart a democratic future. It was a time of uncertainty, but also of hope, as political enemies discovered the power of dialogue to dismantle apartheid and build a Constitution admired across the world.
On 19 September 2025, that same spirit of engagement was revisited when the North-West University (NWU) Business School hosted an online Pitso discussion on “South Africa’s National Dialogue”.
The conversation brought together two prominent figures with distinct vantage points: Roelf Meyer, who co-chaired the Constitutional Assembly in the 1990s, and Duma Gqubule, respected economic analyst and commentator. Moderated by broadcaster and writer Khaya Sithole, the dialogue explored whether South Africa can once again rely on dialogue to navigate its political and economic crossroads.
Reflecting on the past, Roelf recalled how inclusivity, relationship-building and local ownership made the constitutional negotiations a success. “We started off as enemies, but through dialogue we built relationships, trust and ultimately ownership of the Constitution,” he said.
For him, those three principles remain as relevant today as they were in the 1990s. Yet, he warned that the goals of the current national dialogue are less clear, noting that while the constitutional negotiations had a defined outcome, a democratic framework, today’s dialogue risks losing direction without a shared purpose.
Duma shifted the focus to the economy, where he argued the real crisis lies. He traced the origins of the call for a “social compact” back to political leaders and civil society figures who recognised that South Africa’s economy was not serving the majority. Successive administrations promised such a pact, he said, but failed to deliver.
“Whichever way you slice the data, our economy has performed dismally – there are over one million unemployed graduates in South Africa today. We cannot normalise this crisis,” Duma cautioned.
The analyst contrasted South Africa’s slow growth with other nations that, over the same period, posted exponential gains. He reminded the audience that between 1994 and 2008, South Africa’s growth showed promise, but from 2009 onwards, the economy stagnated, unemployment rose, and investment in people and infrastructure declined. His concern was not only the lack of growth, but the absence of accountability for missed targets, such as those in the National Development Plan.
Both Roelf and Duma agreed that credibility will determine the success of the national dialogue. For Roelf, citizens must feel that the process is bottom-up rather than imposed by government. For Duma, implementation is key: another well-written document without follow-through will only deepen public disillusionment. “The only opportunities citizens have had in the past 30 years were elections every five years. This is a chance for them to truly be heard,” Roelf added.
The discussion underscored the magnitude of the task ahead. Restoring trust, addressing unemployment and reimagining South Africa’s development path will require more than promises. It will require the same courage and inclusivity that defined the early 1990s.
