'Action Mr President, not dialogue, is the appeal made to Ramaphosa

CIVIL rights organisation, Amnesty International South Africa, has urged President Cyril Ramaphosa to redirect the R700 million allocated for the National Dialogue.

- MANYANE MANYANE

The organisation advocates for this budget to be invested instead in safeguarding and fulfilling the basic human rights of South African citizens.

Ramaphosa formally announced the National Dialogue last month. It was intended to be a platform for reflection on the nation's current state, envisioning its future, and establishing the foundation for the upcoming National Development Plan.

The process, scheduled for August 15, will unfold in phases, including local consultations and sectoral engagements, to provincial and national gatherings, over the period of a year.

Ramaphosa also pointed out that this was a chance for South Africans to shape the next chapter of democracy, adding that it was an opportunity to forge a new social compact for the development of the country.