AFRIKANER LEADERSHIP NETWORK
10 August 2024
The Afrikaner Leadership Network (ALN), the drafters of the recent Afrikaner Declaration, met on 6 August and drafted the following media statement.
We wish to express our concern about the lack of progress and transparency being experienced with the planning and arrangements for the proposed national dialogue (ND). The national dialogue was presented to citizens as an inclusive process by means of which civil society (and thereby ordinary South Africans) could let their voice be heard on what the implementable priorities should be for the government of national unity (GNU).
Besides the single paragraph Pres. Cyril Ramaphosa used to refer to the national dialogue during the Opening of Parliament, there is now, two months after the election, still no indication of who will initiate the process, who will participate in it, and when it is due to start. Many civil society organisations (also in Afrikaner ranks) are waiting for answers.
What worries the ALN are the rumours and reports that the entire national dialogue process would be driven by political parties, the GNU itself, or by the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac). If this were to be the case civil society (with the exception of the business sector and organised labour) would be excluded from it. This will undermine the critical role of civil society in providing a focus for public policy in various sectors and the dialogue will then serve no purpose.
We therefore appeal to Pres. Ramaphosa and the GNU cabinet to provide clarity on this important matter and the promise made by the GNU as soon as possible. Our position is that the GNU should initiate and fund the process, but then leave it to civil society to be in charge of this process. The GNU should, however, require that a full report and feedback be given to it.
We welcome the establishment of the GNU and the visible signs of good allegiance and cooperation that can already be seen among participating parties. Although we realise that the multi-party government will constantly face challenges, we hope the GNU will be successful for the sake of the country and all its people.
We also make this appeal because (as mentioned in the Afrikaner Declaration) we still want to conclude a cultural accord for our own cultural community with the government of the day, while other cultural communities wishing to conclude similar accords should be allowed to do so too. We see the national dialogue as an important step in that direction.
In this regard we encourage people to support the Afrikaner Declaration by visiting www.afrikanerverklaring.co.za and by signing the declaration. The Afrikaner Declaration is available in Afrikaans, English, Zulu and Xhosa.
Spokespersons of the Afrikaner Leaders’ Network: Theuns Eloff
Flip Buys
Alida Kok
Jan Bosman
Theo de Jager
Werner Human
Issued at Pretoria on 10 August 2024
