ActionSA has called for the proposed National Dialogue to be halted, calling instead for robust economic policies and investment in strengthening the criminal justice system, especially the National Prosecuting Authority, that it says has become a weak link under National Director of Public Prosecutions Shamila Batohi considering the unfinished business of the Zondo Commission.

On Wednesday, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that in the wake of government’s engagements with various entities, there was broad agreement to convene a National Dialogue, given the challenges facing the country.

He revealed that a National Convention, which will set the agenda for the National Dialogue, will be held on August 15.

The party expressed concerns that after fruitlessly spending over R1-billion on the Zondo Commission of Inquiry into State Capture, with nothing to show for it in terms of arrests and successful prosecutions of high profile politicians implicated in aiding, abetting, and benefiting from the crimes linked to it, government is about to launch yet another process that is reportedly going to cost at least another R1-billion.

“…currently budgeted at around R750-million, but we know how these things go – and will no doubt be another burden on an already stretched fiscus,” said ActionSA president Herman Mashaba.

Mashaba explained that indications are that the National Dialogue is already looking like a “carefully choreographed process to fool South Africans yet again”.

“In line with our recent calls for decisive changes in the National Prosecutions Authority, starting with the removal of the ineffective Advocate Shamila Batohi, what we should be seeing instead of another talk-shop is a raft of criminal prosecutions in line with the outcomes and recommendations of the Zondo Commission. It doesn’t make sense that all the people implicated in what were clearly treasonous crimes are still walking the streets of our country and the corridors of Parliament as if they have no reason to be ashamed and to be afraid,” he said.

The party further expressed its concern that other than PR spin, nothing had come out of Ramaphosa’s “so-called Investment Conferences” of the past few years.

He claimed all that was witnessed were media picture-perfect announcements of investor pledges amounting to hundreds of billions of rands with nothing pointing to such pledges leading to noticeable job creation and, specifically, tackling the triple challenges of poverty, inequality, and unemployment.

“…no one seems to be asking how much has been spent on these conferences and what has been their return on public investment, other than fabulous media appearances for the President,” he said.

Mashaba highlighted that with a Government of National Unity, and different parties “pulling in different directions”, no new policies had been introduced to tackle economic stagnation.

He pointed to the latest quarterly unemployment figures, which showed that almost 300 000 people lost their jobs, translating to 5 000 a day.

“As things stand, we’re sitting with some 8.23-million unemployed South Africans and a further 3.5-million having given up trying to find a job because of the dire outlook. Expected economic growth has been revised down on several occasions, from 1.3% down to 0.6%,” he noted.