The Justice and Peace Commission of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) has issued a statement in support of South Africa’s upcoming National Dialogue, calling on all citizens to embrace this moment as an opportunity to “strengthen the collaborative spirit” emerging across the country in recent years.

In the Thursday, June 12 statement, the commission invites all people of goodwill to see the dialogue not as a political ritual but as a sacred opportunity to build unity, restore trust, and commit to the common good.

The Commission’s statement comes days after President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement on 10 June, confirming the official rollout of the National Dialogue process and the convening of a National Convention on 15 August 2025. The President described the initiative as a way to forge a new social compact, drawing on the experiences of every sector of South African society.

The SACBC Justice and Peace Commission, in response, welcomed this moment and framed it as a path forward in confronting long-standing national challenges such as crime, economic stagnation, food insecurity, and corruption.

A Vision Grounded in Catholic Social Teaching

Signed by Bishop Thulani Mbuyisa, a member of the Congregation of the Missionaries of Mariannhill (CMM) and chairperson of the Commission, the statement recalls key themes from Catholic Social Teaching, particularly “encounter,” “fraternity,” and “the common good.” It affirms that no single political party, race, or sector can solve the nation’s problems alone, and that rebuilding must come through cooperation at all levels of society.

“We believe that the upcoming National Dialogue is a chance to further strengthen this collaborative spirit,” the bishop wrote. “The goal of the Dialogue should be to establish a shared vision and social contract necessary to resolve crime, corruption, unemployment, economic stagnation—all within the framework of our Constitution.”

Consistency in the Bishops’ Voice

The Commission’s latest statement follows a series of clear calls from the bishops in recent months for a national conversation rooted in shared responsibility and citizen leadership. Speaking at the SACBC Plenary in January 2025, then-President Bishop Sithembele Sipuka called on “The nation must constitute the National Dialogue forum, not the government.”

That message was echoed again on 11 April 2025, when members of the South African Council of Churches met with President Ramaphosa. During the meeting led by the SACC president, Bishop Sithembele Anton Sipuka of Mthatha Diocese, church leaders collectively endorsed the proposed National Dialogue, emphasizing the need for independence and inclusivity.

The Justice and Peace Commission’s June 12 statement situates itself firmly within that trajectory, affirming that while coalition governments and civil society movements have had their limitations, they nonetheless reflect a “budding spirit of collaboration” that must now be nurtured and elevated.

Recommendations for a Meaningful Dialogue

The Commission calls for meaningful participation across the board, particularly from civil society, the poor, and marginalized communities, while urging organizers to ensure that dialogue spaces are genuinely inclusive and representative.

In addition, the Commission proposes that the dialogue build on the legacies of past democratic processes such as the Convention for a Democratic South Africa (CODESA), the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), the Zondo Commission, and the Presidential Advisory Panel on Land Reform.

A Moment of Grace and Prayer

The statement concludes with a call to all people of God to accompany the Dialogue in prayer, that it may become “a moment of grace” in the life of the nation. “Miracles can happen—similar to what happened in the 1990s,” the statement reads.