President Cyril Ramaphosa reaffirmed that the National Conference will be held on August 15 as scheduled, despite withdrawals announced by some institutions due to internal divisions. The South African Presidency announced a restructuring of the team overseeing the conference organization, adding partners including civil society bodies to ensure adherence to the set date and to remove all obstacles to start the national dialogue process. Despite calls from some parties to postpone the date, the President emphasized that the conference will proceed and is an opportunity for all South Africans to participate in shaping their country’s future. This week, the President met with representatives of the parties supervising the conference to address concerns about internal divisions and the readiness of the team to organize the dialogue, which the government relies on to resolve many national issues.

Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya stressed the necessity of holding the conference so that South Africans can control the course of the national dialogue, confirming that invitations were sent to all concerned without exception. Last week, some institutions that had announced their participation withdrew, citing concerns related to the diminishing role of popular leadership, lack of funding, weak dialogue platforms, lack of internal consensus, and a tight schedule. Ramaphosa expressed regret over these withdrawals but stated they will not affect the timeline and welcomed everyone to join the dialogue process at any time.