MEDIA RELEASE
2025-08-11
SUMMARY: The Labour Party of South Africa (Labour Party) says the withdrawal of five foundations from President Ramaphosa’s National Dialogue is a humiliating collapse for those who defended it in court. The Party calls these developments proof that the foundations have abandoned a sinking ship and that a real National Dialogue must deliver a referendum, constitutional reform, and a new electoral system, and not another parallel process funded by our taxes.
After the announcement of the National Convention dates and plans in mid-June this year, the Labour Party approached the High Court to seek an interim interdict to halt the National Dialogue (and its R700 million price tag) pending a full constitutional review of its legality and duplication of Parliament’s role.
The matter first appeared before acting Judge De Vos AJ on 1 July 2025, but the outcome was delayed when five legacy foundations applied at the last minute to join the case as intervening parties. The hearing was postponed and reconvened on 9 July 2025.
On 17 July 2025, Judge De Vos AJ dismissed the Labour Party’s urgent application to halt the President’s so-called National Dialogue, finding the matter urgent but refusing interim relief. In that case, the very same five Foundations (the Thabo Mbeki Foundation, the Steve Biko Foundation, the Chief Albert Luthuli Foundation, the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation, and the FW de Klerk Foundation) alongside the Strategic Dialogue Group intervened as parties, defending the Dialogue as custodians of its process and claiming to represent an inclusive national consensus.
“Now, only three weeks later, they have walked away from the very stage they built,” said Mathunjwa. “If this was truly the citizen-led, all-inclusive process they promised the judge, they would be standing their ground, not heading for the exit,” he added.
The cracks are now public. According to multiple media reports, Ramaphosa and Mbeki have clashed bitterly over control of the process, the ballooning projected costs, and the decision to push ahead with the first convention on 15 August 2025. Mbeki has openly criticised the degree of government control and accused the organisers of rushing to stage an event that violates the core principles of genuine citizen-led engagement.
“This was always a marriage of convenience between Ramaphosa and Mbeki,” said Mathunjwa. “It was forged to shield this National Dialogue from criticism and to give it the illusion of unity. That marriage has now been torn apart in full public view. The political honeymoon is over, and what remains is a scramble for control, resources, and political credit — all at the expense of the South African people” , he explained Mathunjwa said the Dialogue’s collapse “is the inevitable result of sheer, insensitive arrogance” by the so-called fathers of a “fake democracy” who want to tell the poor how to address their challenges, while using their plight to create a looting of convenience.
“If this was truly a matter of national interest, why is it happening in luxury hotels and universities, facilitated by ‘eminent persons’ who have never walked to school barefoot?” he asked. “Now we can see that our Parliament is not real … it is smoke and mirrors, designed to oppress the majority and keep colonial domination alive under the disguise of democracy”, said Mathunjwa.
Despite the walkouts and public division, the Presidency is pressing ahead with what the Labour Party calls an “illegitimate gathering” — the National Convention — now scheduled for Friday and Saturday, 15–16 August 2025, at UNISA in Pretoria.
Invitations have already gone out, and UNISA will foot much of the immediate bill for catering, printing, conference bags, stationery, and Wi-Fi. The balance is reported to come from existing budgets at the National Economic Development and Labour Council (NEDLAC) and the Presidency.
“The fact that NEDLAC is paying part of the costs is ludicrous,” said Mathunjwa.
“NEDLAC’s funding comes from the Department of Employment and Labour, meaning it is paid by taxpayers. This is public money being used to fund an illegitimate project the poor never asked for” , he added.
Mathunjwa said the walkouts prove the foundations “were merely singing for their supper in court”.
“When the political banquet looked appetising, they defended it. Now that the gravy train is stalling, they have quietly slipped away” , he said.
The Labour Party maintains that the Constitution must be overhauled, the political system changed, and the electoral system reformed. “A real National Dialogue should do three things,” Mathunjwa said. “It should hold a referendum, amend the Constitution, and introduce a new electoral system. If that was on the table, the Labour Party would be there in full force” , he said.
“As South Africans, our tolerance levels are too high,” Mathunjwa concluded. “When they reach zero, a revolution will come. This entire episode is an egg on the face of Acting Judge De Vos, who must now see how justice was not served. The very people she protected in her ruling are now showing their true colours. These foundations were never concerned about the real issues; they were only about their own funding. They don’t care about the people; they care about power and positions. And now they are exposed, ” Mathunjwa concluded.
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