With inclusive economic growth, the Rainbow Nation dream is possible, but can an ANC-dominated dialogue deliver?

Amid significant discord, South Africa's year-long National Dialogue began in Pretoria last week. The process aims to forge a new social compact and essentially lay the groundwork for the next phase of the country's National Development Plan.

It would be a wasted opportunity if the dialogue's rocky start stymied progress towards achieving these two compelling goals.

Before the launch, the dialogue's proposed large budget, lack of civil society engagement and rushed process stirred public anger. Then a public spat broke out between President Cyril Ramaphosa and former president Thabo Mbeki, when the latter felt piqued that the government and not the Preparatory Task Team -- in which his foundation played a key role -- was in the driving seat.

Eventually, several legacy foundations, which had assumed a leadership role in preparing for the process, walked out in protest. The Democratic Alliance, the second-largest party in the Government of National Unity (GNU) after Ramaphosa's African National Congress (ANC), had also withdrawn earlier.

Mbeki was the first to call for a national dialogue to be held after the May 2024 general...