National Dialogue branded 'unlawful'

Thabo Mbeki tears apart the DA's flimsy excuses

- SIZWE DLAMINI

THE Labour Party, founded with a worker-focused mandate, has launched a legal and political offensive against President Cyril Ramaphosa’s National Dialogue initiative, branding it unconstitutional, fiscally reckless, and an attempt to sideline Parliament and the working class.

The party, led by Joseph Mathunjwa, President of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union filed an urgent High Court application on June 18, seeking to interdict the process. The party, argued that the estimated R700 million to R800m cost of the dialogue was “unjustifiable” amid the country's deepening socioeconomic crises.

However, their main interdict application which came before the court on Friday, was not heard. Instead, the court entertained interventions from several high-profile civil society foundations — including the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation, the Strategic Dialogue Group, and the Thabo Mbeki, Steve Biko, and Albert Luthuli Foundations.

“South Africa doesn’t need another elite summit behind closed doors,” said Labour Party's acting Secretary-General Lindi Mkhumbane. “We already have Parliament, Nedlac, and civil society platforms. What we don’t have is political will from the ruling elite to act on the people’s demands.”

The Labour Party’s court papers demand:

◆ A declaratory order that the National Dialogue is unconstitutional and irrational.

◆ An interdict blocking public funds for the process, including payments to the appointed “Eminent Persons Group.”

◆ A review of all executive decisions initiating the Dialogue.

The case has become a flashpoint between the Labour Party and a coalition of prominent civil society groups aligned with the state. On June 30, the aforementioned foundations were granted leave to intervene, defending the Dialogue.