South Africa’s LGBTQIA+ community is set to take a significant step forward this week as the sector hosts its first-ever pilot community dialogue within the broader National Dialogue process.
Scheduled for Thursday, 26 March 2026, the hybrid session marks a historic milestone, creating a dedicated platform for LGBTQIA+ voices to be heard, centred, and meaningfully included in shaping the country’s future.
The National Dialogue initiative, convened by Cyril Ramaphosa, aims to bring South Africans together to develop a new social compact by addressing the everyday challenges faced across the nation. Now, for the first time, the LGBTQIA+ sector is leading as a pilot community within this national effort.
Speaking to MambaOnline, Tebogo K Legodi, co-chair of the LGBTQIA+ Sector National Dialogue Steering Committee, emphasised the importance of this moment:
“The National Dialogue is a call to all South African citizens to engage in a dialogue process which aims to develop a new social compact for our country. The LGBTQI sector being the first sector to pilot in this project is inviting members of the community to engage with us as we walk them through what has happened to this point and bring them into the plans of what is to come next.”
Legodi highlighted that the session will provide both reflection and forward planning, ensuring that participants are not only informed but actively involved in shaping the dialogue process.
The programme will include briefings from key figures involved in the National Dialogue, including Project Lead Edgar Mabothe, Communications Head Mpho Kunene, and representatives from the Mobilise platform, which hosts the official National Dialogue app.
Importantly, the session is designed to gather direct input from the LGBTQIA+ community. According to Legodi, this feedback will play a critical role in tailoring future provincial dialogues to reflect the real needs and priorities of the community.
“We encourage participants to come in and make their voice heard, which will also help us to adapt our dialogue plan for the respective provinces according to the needs of the community,” he said.
The dialogue will run from 10:00 to 14:30 and will be accessible online, ensuring broader participation from across the country.
Organisers are urging community members, activists, and allies to attend and to share the invitation widely.
As South Africa navigates complex social and economic challenges, this pilot signals a powerful commitment to inclusion—ensuring that LGBTQIA+ voices are not only part of the national conversation, but actively shaping it.
Event Details:
- Date: Thursday, 26 March 2026
- Time: 10:00 – 14:30
- Venue: Hybrid
Participants can join the session online via Microsoft Teams: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/34116713736233?p=lVsX5MM5HIDLFDJ4HC
With momentum building, all eyes are on this pioneering dialogue to set the tone for a more inclusive and representative national process.
“Every voice matters.”
