Despite the government’s promise to conclude the National Dialogue in the first half of 2026, Deputy President Paul Mashatile indicated that it may take place after the local government elections.
Mashatile mentioned this during the 2026 National Dialogue Steering Committee (NDSC) induction session which took place on Saturday, 17th of January.
This two-day induction was held at Unisa’s Muckleneuk main campus in Pretoria and concluded on Sunday afternoon. It took place for the purpose of formally preparing the 99-member committee for its role in leading a nationwide consultative process.
The entire committee is tasked with helping to outline the practical roadmap and phased plan for dialogues across South Africa. This year, the induction session consisted of the Eminent Persons Group (EPG), the NDSC and the Secretariat of the dialogue.
The National Dialogue aims to address deep-rooted national crises such as poverty, inequality, crime, and slow economic transformation by uniting all sectors of society to create a new, shared vision and social compact. For the country’s future, such committees are needed to push practical action talks and rebuild trust.
National Dialogue Steering Committee Induction Session.
Theme: Strengthening Democratic Dialogue for a Just and Inclusive Future@ZANatDialogue @GovernmentZA@PresidencyZA @Unisaradio#UnisaShapingFutures | #Unisa150andBeyond | #ZANatDialogue2026 pic.twitter.com/GWrQBecDE5— Unisa (@unisa) January 17, 2026
The first session of the National Dialogues, the First National Convention, took place from 15 to 16 August 2025, at Unisa and the second session was scheduled for early 2026.
However, Mashatile stated that the process leading up to the dialogue will require significant effort to engage society as a whole. He also mentioned that, considering the task at hand, the dialogue might need to occur after the local government elections.
The specific election date has not yet been announced, but the window is determined by the five-year term of the current councils, which officially ends on November 1, 2026.
Also see: World Bank projects economic recovery for South Africa
Feature Image: Gettys
