Earlier this year in Harare, a Platform of Concerned Citizens (PCC) was convened by a number of Zimbabweans, who were concerned about the state of the country and the high possibility of state failure linked to serious violence. The Platform agreed that elections in the absence of extensive reform of the state would only worsen the current political and economic crisis. There was also agreement that if the crisis was not addressed, it was likely to overwhelm the state, making elections improbable.

Following extensive discussions on the way forward, with consensus that a new vision could only emerge from a transition that is 'transformative', the PCC has proposed a National Transitional Authority (NTA) as a strategy that can move the country beyond the existing political and economic paradigm. This is a bold idea, although one which is also fraught with many obstacles - not least the existing and still powerful state security apparatus, whose acquiescence at the least would be required. The PCC held a national consultation on this issue in Harare in mid-September, after which they wish to discuss it with regional and international actors. SAPES Trust has approached SAIIA and other institutions to help facilitate this consultation in Johannesburg.

The PCC would like to invite interested members of the public to attend a 'Public Forum on Zimbabwe in Transition' in an attempt to facilitate  a public discussion on the idea of an NTA as an integral part of Zimbabwe’s future. Opening remarks will be made Ibbo Mandaza. Other speakers will include: Tony Reeler, Trevor Ncube, Dumiso Dabengwa and Graca Machel. This forms part of broader consultations between the PCC and regional and international stakeholders on the NTA. Members of the public are invited as follows:

Date:     26 September 2016
Time:    17h00 - 18h30
Venue:  The Parktonian Hotel, Johannesburg
RSVP:   To register your attendance, please click HERE=(http://www.ats.co.za/saiia15/events/Checkemail.aspx?eid=312&id=66083&yn=1%20)

Moderators:

• Elizabeth Sidiropoulos - National Director of SA Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA)
• Brian  Raftopoulos - Mellon Senior Research Mentor at the Centre for Humanities Research at the University of the Western Cape

Panellists:

• Ibbo Mandaza - Director SAPES Trust
• Tony Reeler - Senior Researcher at Research and Advocacy Unit (RAU)
• Trevor Ncube - Zimbabwean entrepreneur and newspaper publisher now living in South Africa and publishing in both countries
• Dumiso Dabengwa - Zimbabwean politician who served as the head of Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army intelligence during the Rhodesian Bush War
• Graca Machel - Mozambican politician and humanitarian, and widow of former South African president Nelson Mandela and of Mozambican president Samora Machel