Former President Thabo Mbeki has called for a national dialogue after May 29 election. This dialogue, according Former President Mbeki, would focus on how South Africa should move forward after the election.

I'm opposed to Mbeki’s suggestion. The national dialogue is not needed in the country. It will be wasteful expenditure that costs not only money, but also time. South Africa has a democratic system that will facilitate the May 29 election. It is in that election where South Africans will decide the future of their beautiful country.

This election will be our seventh since democracy began in 1994. Our citizens will choose the leaders who will govern them over the next five years. The leaders elected into power will have a constitutional mandate to deliver on service delivery.

The dialogue that must take place – I believe – must be between the political parties who will govern in a coalition. That is if, the election outcome is a coalition government.

South Africa’s socio-economic ills are well-known. We should not be distracted by national dialogues that are unnecessary and costly, and will result in nothing of substance. After May 29, voters would have spoken on the kind of future they want for South Africa.

We should avoid having never-ending dialogues or commissions of inquiry and task teams.

We do have democratic institutions. The focus must now be on getting the work done, and achieving the desired outcomes.

In one of my videos recently, and in my interview with SABC television, I reiterated that unemployment is South Africa's biggest crisis and needs to be addressed urgently. Those who will be elected to govern have the responsibility to implement the policies that reduce unemployment.

Another issue is crime that is at astronomical levels and leaves hundreds dead per week in South Africa.

The World Bank has said that crime costs South Africa 10% of its GDP. Murder increased during President Cyril Ramaphosa’s first term, from 36 murders per 100,000 people to 45 murders per 100,000 people. Joblessness also rose from 27% to 32% during Ramaphosa’s first term.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projects that South Africa's unemployment will rise this year, and next year.

The impact of blackouts has been destructive to the economy and business productivity.

All these domestic problems do not need a dialogue. They are understood. What must be done is addressing them urgently.

There are millions of adult citizens in this country. How can you have a national dialogue that represents every adult citizen and addresses the needs of everyone? It's impractical. Hence, we must get to work to bring economic transformation in the country.

South Africa needs a robust democracy where issues are fiercely debated, and citizens keep leaders on their toes.

I have huge respect for Former President Thabo Mbeki. I'm sure that his suggestion for a national dialogue comes from a good heart.

The political way forward for South Africa

On Gareth Cliff’s morning show The Burning Platform late last year, I argued that the way forward for South Africa is the Multi Party Charter (MPC). It’s May 2024, publishing this column two weeks before the election, and I stand by that argument.

When I was a panellist at the Democracy Unplugged session at Ciffcentral in Sandton last month, I was asked who I will vote for in this election. My answer was that my vote will go to the Multi Party Charter. I am unashamed of saying that. South Africa needs a new chapter and that chapter will not be brought by the ANC. Even political analyst Prince Mashele holds the same view on the MPC.

The Multi Party Charter is made up of pro market parties that believe business should be at the forefront of South Africa’s economic activity.

Our new chapter as a nation should embrace the repeal of race-based policies, and the MPC could do that if given the opportunity to govern. Race-based policies have been counterproductive for our economy and society.

The MPC could restore South Africa's image worldwide – an image that has been tarnished.

On my podcast, The Phumlani Majozi Show, I have interviewed one political leader from the MPC, Herman Mashaba. I plan to interview more in future. Thirty years into our democracy, we should be talking about real issues that matter to South Africans – from joblessness to crime, to service delivery, and that is what my new podcast is about.

We should stay away from useless discussions like white monopoly capital (WMC) and land expropriation without compensation (EWC), as those are nothing other than divisive political dogmas and slogans by South Africa's leftists. Even surveys show that WMC and land are not a priority for South Africans. South Africans want jobs and safety.

We can only succeed as a nation if we get our priorities right. Our priorities should be focused on things that unite our nation and encourage economic growth.

Half of South Africans are categorized as “poor”, according to Statistics South Africa. Our policies and programs should be focused on uplifting and empowering these people to be productive in the market, creating wealth for themselves.

Good, pro-market governance, is key to rapid development and prosperity. Governance is something that Africans have control of.

The time for talking is over. We need to work on addressing our problems and hold our leaders to account. No more national dialogues.

Phumlani M. Majozi is author of a new book “Lessons from Past Heroes” and a macroeconomist and political analyst. He’s the host of The Phumlani Majozi Show on YouTube. Subscribe to his show here: Phumlani M. Majozi - YouTube.