15 August 2025
Dear [Eminent Person],
This is what the poorest want you to prioritise at the national dialogue
We write to you on behalf of concerned communities who desperately want the National Dialogue to address our most pressing issues. We know you are busy with the National Dialogue and that there will be community consultations in the future, but right now, millions of our people are going hungry. As an eminent person, we appeal to you to please use your position to urgently prioritise the following:
1. Unpaid and inadequate social grants – Despite a High Court ruling, Treasury and the Department of Social Development continue to unfairly exclude millions of people who are eligible for social grants. SASSA’s phones go unanswered, and people are forced to jump through hoops. Social grant amounts are too little, and have not kept up with food prices. This means children do homework on an empty stomach, and many adults can’t afford to travel to job interviews. All social grants must be urgently increased, and the R370 SRD grant must be turned into a Basic Income Grant.
“They must stop undermining unemployed people. They introduced the SRD grant, so they must make sure it covers all our needs.” – Mxolisi Hlophe from Mpumalanga.
“Government must listen to the plight of the poor and not only listen to markets and big, greedy business people. Introduce a Basic Income Grant.” – Erasmus from KwaZulu-Natal.
2. Unemployment
We all know this is a huge problem. Many communities have said public employment programs like the EPWP, teacher assistant jobs, and other public employment programs can help create jobs at the needed scale. Many communities have also pointed out that once you turn 35, it is almost impossible to get a job because of age restrictions.
“To the leaders of the National Dialogue, I urge you to prioritise youth unemployment. I’ve experienced firsthand the frustration and disillusionment that comes with searching for work without success. I expect the National Dialogue to yield concrete solutions and policies that support job creation, skills development, and economic growth.” – Kholofelo Rasesepa.
3. Food prices and the cost of living
Social grants and the minimum wage have failed to keep up with the rising cost of living. Many municipalities’ failure to provide poor households with free basic services such as electricity and water means that people must choose between food and electricity. The Competition Commission has also raised the alarm for years on the issues of unjustified food price increases.
“Tell them that they must reduce the price of food. It is too expensive.” – Sipho Hlezi from KwaZulu-Natal.
These are just a handful of messages. We have hundreds more to share with you. We, amandla.mobi, are an independent, non-partisan community organisation with nearly one million members across South Africa that works to amplify the voices of the marginalised majority.
The rainbow nation has people from many different backgrounds, but when the lives of those most impacted by injustice, especially low-income Black women, improve, so do the lives of everyone else. The other top issues our members raised include corruption and governance, crime and safety, gender-based violence, electricity, education, service delivery, water, health and housing.
We appeal to you to be the champion of the people as you steer the National Dialogue, and intentionally bring immediate solutions forward so millions in this country who suffer in poverty can finally live decent lives.
Your sincerely,