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The United Democratic Movement (UDM) has noted that former President Thabo Mbeki has embraced the UDM's proposal to convene a National Dialogue aimed at addressing South Africa's challenges comprehensively. President Cyril Ramaphosa has also expressed support for this initiative.

It is good that the UDM’s ideas are endorsed at this level, and we welcome it. 

The UDM has been championing the concept of a national indaba for years, advocating consistently for a National Convention similar in scale to the Convention for a Democratic South Africa (Codesa). This has been a central campaign focus for the Party.

We believe that no single party possesses all the solutions needed to comprehensively address South Africa's challenges. A national dialogue involving all stakeholders is essential to garner nationwide support and achieve consensus through compromise and collaboration.

The UDM's proposed National Convention for South Africa (NaCoSA) should span at least eighteen months, engaging a diverse array of stakeholders such as government, political parties, academics, business bodies, faith-based leaders, labour unions, NGOs, traditional leaders, and others. The goal is to collectively examine and address the challenges facing South Africa.

One key aspect of National Convention for South Africa is that it should be facilitated by an independent body or organisation, rather than by the government or any political party. This ensures neutrality and fosters trust among all participants.

We would like to hear from the President as to what the next steps are to implement this concept.

Issued by Bantu Holomisa, President of the United Democratic Movement