The national dialogue must include the concerns of the Indian minority

PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement of a national dialogue is a powerful call to action.

- JERALD VEDAN

It is not a mere event or ceremonial gathering, it is a participatory, unfolding process that will stretch from grassroots consultations to a national convention, aiming to reset our democratic compact and imagine a shared South African future.

As the first phase begins on August 15, it is vital that the concerns of all communities are placed firmly on the agenda.

This includes the Indian minority, whose contributions and challenges remain under-recognised in national discourse. The national dialogue promises to be inclusive, representative and future-focused.

Civil society, political parties, traditional and religious leaders, workers, youth and other key voices are to be engaged in conversations that will culminate in a second national convention.

There, a common vision and programme of action will be adopted.

An eminent persons group will help guide this historic initiative, ensuring it is more than rhetoric, it must be renewed in action.

Yet, if this dialogue is truly to reflect the diversity of our nation, it must acknowledge the unique experiences and present-day realities of Indian South Africans.

The prognosis for this community, which has been rooted in South African soil since 1860, is shaped by a history of marginalisation, contemporary economic pressures, and a search for identity within a changing socio-political landscape.