South African Communities to Put Their Priorities Directly to Political Parties at National Democracy Convention

Kagiso Trust’s People Build Democracy initiative will bring civil society and political parties together on 29–30 October to turn community demands into a shared agreement for action and accountability.

At a glance

29–30 October 2026: Kagiso Trust will convene the People Build Democracy national convention at Birchwood Conference Centre.

Community voices: Civil society organisations, social movements and community formations will consolidate priorities raised by South Africans.
Five years of community engagement: Isivumelwano – The Agreement draws on community manifestos, action plans, protest memoranda and dialogue reports.
Political accountability: Invited political parties will be asked to respond publicly to the consolidated community priorities.
Non-partisan platform: The convention aims to strengthen active citizenship and keep community concerns central to democratic decision-making.

South African communities will have an opportunity to put their priorities directly to political parties at a national convention aimed at securing greater accountability and action on issues affecting their daily lives.

On 29 and 30 October, Kagiso Trust will bring civil society organisations, social movements and community formations together for the People Build Democracy national convention at Birchwood Conference Centre.

With service delivery challenges, declining public trust and political accountability remaining pressing concerns, the convention will put community priorities at the centre of discussions with political parties.

Community priorities shaped by five years of engagement

At the heart of the initiative is Isivumelwano – The Agreement, a document informed by five years of community engagement, including manifestos, action plans, protest memoranda and dialogue reports.

These priorities will be brought together in a shared agreement that political parties will be invited to respond to, providing a basis for continued public engagement and accountability.

Rev. Zwoitwaho Nevhutalu, Chairperson of the Board of Directors at Kagiso Trust, says democracy cannot begin and end at the ballot box.

“Democracy extends beyond the ballot box. We all need to be active citizens to achieve a democracy that works for us all. Through People Build Democracy, we want communities to recognise the power they have to shape their own future and hold those in leadership accountable.”

Political parties to respond to community demands

The convention will take place over two days:

29 October: Participating civil society and community organisations will review and refine Isivumelwano, consolidating the priorities they want political leaders to address.
30 October: Invited political parties will have an opportunity to respond to the agreement through a structured, non-partisan public engagement.

Building active citizenship beyond elections

The initiative builds on Kagiso Trust’s #StartWhereYouAre campaign, which encourages South Africans to become active citizens by identifying challenges in their communities, speaking up and taking practical steps towards solutions.

Boichoko Ditlhake, Civil Society Support Programme Head at Kagiso Trust, says the convention will help ensure that community voices are heard at a national level.

“Every day, people in our communities come together to talk about the challenges they face, share ideas and imagine a better future for their children. These conversations produce real solutions, but too often those voices are not heard beyond their communities.

“People Build Democracy brings these voices together nationally. We want the issues communities have raised and the solutions they have proposed to form part of a shared agreement that keeps their priorities at the centre of South Africa’s future.”

For Kagiso Trust, which marked 40 years in 2025, the initiative reflects its commitment to Igniting Human Capacity, supporting communities to take an active role in shaping the country’s development.

Under the theme From Citizen Voice to Shared Action and Accountability, the convention seeks to ensure that community concerns are heard beyond election periods and remain part of ongoing engagement with political leaders.

Event details

Event: People Build Democracy: Isivumelwano – The Agreement Convention
Theme: From Citizen Voice to Shared Action and Accountability
Dates: 29–30 October 2026
Venue: Birchwood Conference Centre

Media opportunity: Journalists are invited to cover the convention, including discussions on community priorities on 29 October and engagement with invited political parties on 30 October.

Website: www.peoplebuilddemocracy.org.za