The South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) notes with deep concern the recent announcement by several Foundations that they will be withdrawing from the National Dialogue process. These Foundations have raised serious criticisms about the manner in which the process is being conducted; criticisms that SAFTU shares and has previously warned about.
When SAFTU agreed to participate in the National Dialogue, we made it clear that our engagement would be critical and guided by the interests of the working class. We openly stated that we had no illusions that this process, as currently structured, would deliver the far-reaching transformation that workers and the poor so desperately need. Nevertheless, we participated in good faith, hoping to contribute to shaping a genuinely democratic and people-centred dialogue.
However, the developments of recent weeks confirm our worst fears: the government is steaming ahead with a process that is increasingly resembling a government-controlled imbizo, rather than the citizen-driven, inclusive, and transparent process envisioned by the Foundations and reaffirmed in SAFTU’s own position. The concerns raised – including the lack of genuine participation by civil society, the absence of transparency, the sidelining of grassroots voices, and the government’s dominance over the agenda – fundamentally undermine the credibility and legitimacy of the Dialogue.
SAFTU cannot, in good conscience, continue to participate in a process that is being shaped on the government’s terms, without the issues raised by the Foundations being urgently and comprehensively addressed. Continuing under these conditions risks legitimising a hollow exercise that fails to address South Africa’s deep economic, political, and social crises, and that will not deliver the transformation demanded by the working class and the poor.
We therefore announce the suspension of SAFTU’s participation in the National Dialogue until:
- The process is restructured to ensure it is genuinely citizen-led and inclusive.
- The voices of workers, communities, and other excluded sectors are given equal weight in shaping the agenda and outcomes.
- There is full transparency in decision-making, resource allocation, and facilitation of the Dialogue.
- The government commits to addressing the substantive policy and structural change demands that emerge from the Dialogue, rather than using it for public relations purposes.
SAFTU remains committed to engaging in a truly democratic, people-driven process to address South Africa’s crises. But we will not allow the National Dialogue to be reduced to a state-controlled talk shop that offers false hope while the material conditions of millions continue to deteriorate.
The working class deserves more than political theatre — it deserves a process that is anchored in the lived realities, struggles, and aspirations of the people. Until then, SAFTU will stand with those who refuse to legitimise a flawed and exclusionary process.
