As stated in the briefing document of the South African National Dialogue programme,
“The mission of the National Dialogue is to reestablish the vision of the South African constitution emphasising democratic participation, transparency and accountability. The initiative aims to empower all citizens – regardless of race, class or gender ensuring their equal participation in shaping the nation’s future. It promotes national unity and fosters collaboration across sectors to develop practical solutions to the country’s problems”
On the South African Coat of Arms are the words ‘Diverse people unite’. Furthermore, the preamble of our constitution states, “South Africa belongs to all who live in it, united in its diversity”
The SA Jewish Board Deputies calls for the foundations of our National Dialogue to align with these pivotal values. Social cohesion should be a core tenant to ensure that the dialogue be an important and constructive conversation.
Unfortunately, during the last decade, our country has seen in-fighting, division and polarisation. The values of national unity have been abandoned and disregarded by our leadership in favour of promoting narrow political agendas. This is particularly true for South African Jewry, who, under President Ramaphosa, have been marginalised and made to feel unwelcome. We have been excluded from interfaith engagement, silenced in public spaces, antisemitic incidences have been downplayed, ignored and even denied and South Africans were left to fend for themselves without government providing any form of consular assistance during the Israel/Iran war.
Indeed, the tragic conflict in the Middle East, one of the most divisive issues in the world, has been manipulated by our government as a political tool. Rather than playing a meaningful and constructive role in peace-building in the region, it has chosen alienation. Leading figures in government and civil society have hijacked this heartbreaking war to bring divisiveness into our society and onto our streets.
This is particularly true of Imtiaz Sooliman, whom the President has selected to Co-Chair the National Dialogue. In addition to the many inflammatory statements about the conflict, Sooliman has recently used well-worn anti-Jewish tropes, including promoting conspiratorial falsehoods that Jews control the world:
“Every time we protested, the Zionists were too clever. They were arrogant, acting with impunity, they put fear into you. They put fear into corporate corporations, into universities, into communities, into governments, into political parties, into associations. They run the world with fear. They control the world with money. And every time you say something, they terrify you and they say it’s antisemitic (Salaamedia 5 October 2024; https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=538597525527269&rdid=2jj3kdBjK68NA6y5)
According to the most recent Kaplan University Study at UCT, 96% of South African Jews have an attachment to Israel. Zionism is the belief in the right to self-determination and statehood of the Jewish people in their ancestorial homeland, the State of Israel. Jews, like other minorities in South Africa, have the constitutional right to define their identity and beliefs without being unfairly maligned and marginalised.
In appointing Sooliman, who has consistently demonized South African Zionists and, by extension, the vast majority of the South African Jewish community, the President has chosen a highly inappropriate candidate to chair the National Dialogue. This decision undermines the stated commitment to “inclusive participation” as outlined in the National Dialogue briefing document. Consequently, the President himself is the most significant barrier to fostering a successful National Dialogue that could guide our country toward genuine national unity.
Furthermore, the National Dialogue principles call for accountability and transparency. It is thus even more surprising that our President chose Sooliman, when he has openly stated:
“I don’t follow international law or human law…I don’t need any permission from anybody in the world to tell me what to do. I break the laws all the time.”(Interview on Hilaal TV, 7 October 2024; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hd56Y2doas&t=525s)
As it currently stands, the President, as the ‘patron’ of the National Dialogue, lacks legitimacy and cannot succeed in achieving its mission to promote “national unity and foster collaboration across sectors to develop practical solutions to the country’s problems.”
We therefore call for the role of the presidency in the National Dialogue to be replaced by the Constitutional Court, an apolitical institution with credibility that is trusted by South Africans. This will ensure that the National Dialogue follows its initial target “to create a broad, unified movement that transcends political divisions, engaging citizens in a constructive process for national renewal.”
