In response to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement of a forthcoming National Dialogue aimed at shaping South Africa’s future, Khulisa Social Solutions welcomes the initiative in principle but urges government to fundamentally rethink its approach by grounding the process in community-level insight and evidence already generated by civil society.

“Dialogue is deeply embedded in South Africa’s national identity,” says Lesley Ann van Selm, Founder and Managing Director of Khulisa. “But too many so-called dialogues in the past have failed to move beyond symbolic engagement. They have not been built on solid evidence or on the solutions proposed by those with the lived experience of inequality, violence, unemployment, and systemic neglect.”

Khulisa has spent the past three decades working in some of the country’s most vulnerable communities—facilitating hundreds of dialogue circles and documenting the underlying causes of social dysfunction, including youth alienation, gender-based violence, substance abuse, and the collapse of local support systems. The organization emphasizes that South Africans have already spoken—the problem is that no one has truly listened.

“We are not starting from scratch,” says Van Selm. “We already have deep insight into the root causes of the crises we face. What we need now is the political will to act on this knowledge.”

Khulisa is calling on the Presidency to ensure that the National Dialogue:

1. Leverages existing data and community-led insights collected through years of grassroots engagement
2. Centers localized dialogues facilitated by trained leaders embedded in their communities—not external consultants
3. Establishes independent oversight and accountability mechanisms to track implementation and prevent dialogue fatigue

While the President’s Eminent Persons Group includes respected figures from business, sport, faith, and culture, Khulisa notes the lack of direct representation from grassroots leaders, informal settlement organizers, and township-based civic networks.

“If we’re serious about reimagining our country, we must start by trusting the people who are living with its failures daily,” says Van Selm. “Dialogue must become a tool for transformation—not performance.”

Khulisa stands ready to share its findings and methodologies to support a truly inclusive and actionable National Dialogue. The organization calls for a bottom-up compact that moves beyond conversation and into co-created, measurable solutions.