EFF slams Ramaphosa’s National Dialogue as political diversion

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The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have criticised President Cyril Ramaphosa’s proposed National Dialogue, describing it as a deflection from the African National Congress’s (ANC) failures rather than a genuine solution to South Africa’s challenges.

Ramaphosa launched the initiative on Tuesday, announcing a National Convention to take place in August. He called on South Africans from all sectors to join in shaping the country’s future.

“The National Dialogue is a chance for all South Africans, from all walks of life, to come together and help shape the next chapter of our democracy,” Ramaphosa said in a video and written statement.

He acknowledged the nation’s crisis: “Millions of people are underemployed and unemployed… Crime, gender-based violence and corruption are prevalent across our society.”

EFF: Misplaced comparisons and concerns of bias

The EFF, however, condemned the initiative, arguing that it wrongly draws parallels with the post-apartheid transition.

“The challenges are a product of man-made destruction and corruption, of which he and the party he leads [ANC] have been the centre of,” the party stated.

The EFF maintains that the dialogue overlooks the real cause of the nation’s crisis, systemic governance failures by the ruling party over the past 30 years.

The party also questioned the integrity of the “eminent persons” selected to lead the dialogue, alleging many of them are ANC-aligned or have openly supported Ramaphosa’s internal political campaigns. The 30-person group includes respected judges, business leaders, scientists, religious figures, and cultural icons like John Kani and Siya Kolisi.

Call for Accountability Over Conversation

The EFF warned that a national conversation would not resolve deep-rooted issues such as unemployment, landlessness, gender-based violence, and crime. Instead, it stressed the need for systemic reforms and accountability.