The Next Economy National Dialogue is inspired by a series of Policy Platforms hosted by South Africa’s Ministry of Economic Development in association with the Cape Times and the South African New Economics Network.

It grew out of a series launched by the Cape Times with conceptual support from the South African New Economics Network which became connected to the social dialogue processes of the Ministry of Economic Development.

The individual driving forces and visionaries have been Minister of Economic Development, Ebrahim Patel; Editor of the Cape Times, Alide Dasnois; and Chairman of the South African New Economics Network, Joseph Edozien. Zubeida Jaffer, Spokesperson for Minister Patel, has been a key contributor to the initiation of this Dialogue.

The partners represent Society, Government, and Media.

The objective of The Next Economy National Dialogue is to involve all relevant national stakeholders, elected public representatives, key economic actors, and the national public in an important discussion about the nation’s economic future.

The Key Institutional Role Players

• Economic Development Department, Government Partner
• Cape Times, Media Partner
• South African New Economics Network, Society Partner

Main Audience and Participants

• The National Public
• Elected Public Representatives
• Key Economic Actors (both inside and outside Government)
• Interested Global Publics, Global Officials, and Global Economic Actors

Core Debate Participants and Invitees

Government; Business; Labour; Academia; Think Tanks; The Informal Sector; Community, Issue, and Faith Organisations; Rural and Traditional Societies.

Elected public representatives, key economic actors, and the public will be involved in this important debate on the nation’s economic future, providing publicly inspired ideas for policy suggestions to the State through the Economic Development Department in the spirit of wide-ranging participatory democracy.

The intention of this National Dialogue is to create a space for a much needed national conversation on South Africa’s next economy. This dialogue-based approach to economic development towards a next economy will place an enormous responsibility on all the social partners -- civil society, labour, business, and government -- to contribute actively in discussing and creating visions to reach a social consensus about the economic future and developmental paths of South Africa.

This national dialogue will be taken into communities, schools, and workplaces at the micro-level. It will not stay only at the macro-level.

The partners are committed to replicate this national dialogue at all levels and in all key sectors of our economy in order to develop ways in which to build our next economy together through honest dialogue and determined collaboration toward a workable national consensus.

It is also intended that this national dialogue will help to launch knowledge networks on next economy development possibilities so that we can all draw on new insights from many places.