Inviting you to:
A Social Compact in South Africa: Can it achieved? Online Panel Discussion Hosted by IFAA
Date and Time: Thursday 26th January, 2025, 4 pm
Zoom Registration: https://shorturl.at/45mi7
The Institute for African Alternatives (IFAA) will host an online panel discussion titled “A Social Compact in South Africa: Can it be achieved?” on Thursday, 26 June 2025, at 4:00 PM. This timely conversation aims to interrogate the Government of National Unity’s (GNU) renewed commitment to building a national social compact through its proposed National Dialogue.
South Africa has long aspired to establish a social compact aligned with its progressive Constitution, yet repeated efforts have faltered. Previous initiatives—driven by stakeholders such as COSATU, NEDLAC, Business Unity South Africa, and the South African Council of Churches—have failed to produce lasting consensus or tangible outcomes. As noted in The Conversation and Parliamentary News, barriers such as political mistrust, institutional inertia, and unequal power dynamics continue to stall meaningful progress.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has placed renewed emphasis on inclusive dialogue as a pathway forward. In his address, he announced a multi-phase National Dialogue beginning with a National Convention on 15 August 2025, followed by sectoral and local consultations and a concluding summit in early 2026. The GNU’s Statement of Intent has reaffirmed its commitment to unity, inclusive governance, and a revitalised social compact.
This online forum will explore whether this iteration of national dialogue can finally overcome longstanding obstacles. Key questions include: Can the process deliver tangible reforms in employment, income support (such as a Basic Income Grant), the rollout of the National Health Insurance (NHI), and investment in green infrastructure?
Confirmed panellists include Boichoko Ditlhake and veteran trade unionist Tony Ehrenreich. The discussion will encourage robust engagement on the political will, institutional architecture, and public trust necessary to anchor a functional social compact.
To register for this Zoom forum please go to this link: https://shorturl.at/45mi7
For further enquiries, contact Bruce Kadalie at IFAA via WhatsApp at 0840122477.