Blame game erupts between govt, legacy foundations over National Dialogue
Government and the foundations are now digging in their heels, accusing one another of undermining efforts to bring South Africans together.
FILE: President Cyril Ramaphosa meets with the Eminent Persons Group over the upcoming National Dialogue. Picture: Simphiwe Nkosi/EWN
JOHANNESBURG - As a rift between President Cyril Ramaphosa and legacy foundations behind the National Dialogue festers, a blame game has ensued, with government insiders accusing the organisations linked to former leaders of suffering from a superiority complex.
On Friday, six foundations announced their withdrawal from the preparatory task team and the first convention of the National Dialogue, which takes place next week.
They raised the misalignment of the preparatory task team, a shift towards government control, the rushed timelines and a lack of financial and operational structure as some of their concerns.
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Foundations, including those of Thabo Mbeki, Steve Biko, Chief Albert Luthuli, Oliver and Adelaide Tambo, FW de Klerk, as well as the Archbishop Desmond and Leah Tutu, have been pushing for South Africans to engage on the state of the nation.
At least two meetings during the week, deliberating over frustrations experienced by the legacy foundations have come to nil.
Instead, with government and the foundations are now digging in their heels, accusing one another of undermining efforts to bring South Africans together.
Some government insiders have told EWN that the foundations want control over state-sponsored events, accusing what they term private family organisations of trying to preserve the legacy of their custodians through the dialogue.
But the foundations have equally raised concerns, citing a deliberate takeover by government and attempts to push aside those who birthed the idea.
Some in the foundations are also worried about the watering down of the dialogue.
The impasse is also being seen by some as a clash between President Ramaphosa and former President Thabo Mbeki.
The Presidency's Vincent Magwenya refused to comment and participate in public spats.