GOOD Statement by Kaden Arguile, GOOD National Youth Chairperson:
The GOOD Party joined the inaugural National Dialogue at UNISA in Pretoria (15–16 August) because we believe the voices of South Africa’s most vulnerable must be heard and government must be held accountable where it fails. At its core, the Dialogue was a powerful democratic initiative, government leaders sharing a space with civil society, business, faith leaders and citizens. Such open engagement is rare across the world and has the potential to generate citizen-led solutions to South Africa’s crises of poverty, crime, corruption and inequality.
GOOD representatives engaged across plenary sessions, connecting with community leaders working daily to fix what government neglects, from tackling gender-based violence, to defending LGBTQIA+ rights, to creating opportunities for young people. These connections matter.
But the Dialogue’s potential was badly undermined by poor planning, inefficiency and a lack of structure. Invitations went missing, communication collapsed, the schedule shifted constantly, and critical discussions were cut short. As a result, many underrepresented communities left unheard.
South Africa desperately needs brutal honesty and citizen-led solutions. But without structure, discipline and accountability, this National Dialogue risked becoming a talk shop that deepened distrust instead of building unity. The GOOD Party calls on government to fix the flaws, not abandon the process. Done right, the National Dialogue can strengthen democracy, amplify grassroots voices, and help unite South Africans around solutions.
The GOOD Party calls on all South Africans to support the essence of the Dialogue, to engage openly, to hold each other accountable, and to never stop speaking about how we can make our country better. More dialogues, if well-structured and inclusive, can lead to deeper understanding and greater unity. This process deserves our collective commitment – because only together can we build the South Africa our children deserve.
*The GOOD Party was represented at the National Dialogue by members of the National Leadership Committee, GOOD’s highest decision-making body between national conferences.
GOOD’s delegation:
- Kaden Arguile – NLC Youth Representative & National Youth Chairperson
- Keagen Gertse – NLC LGBTQIA Representative & Drakenstein Councillor
- Sarah Mabotsa – NLC Gauteng Representative & MMC in the City of Tshwane
GOOD Digital Transformation: GOOD supports the use of technology to improve government services.
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