The national foundations of three former presidents and a deputy president are expected to be part of the national dialogues initiative in Braamfontein on Friday.

The foundations of former presidents FW de Klerk, Thabo Mbeki, Kgalema Motlanthe and former deputy president Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, will join other foundations which will come together to discuss the “deep and pervasive national general crisis” facing the country.

The foundations of Desmond and Leah Tutu, Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe, Chief Albert Luthuli and Helen Suzman will also participate in the kick-off of the national dialogues on Friday.

The foundations told News24 that the dialogues will discuss the threats to South Africa's young democracy.

De Klerk, Mbeki, Motlanthe and Mlambo-Ngcuka will address the national dialogue to "provide a safe non-partisan platform to South Africans of all races to confront the crisis in political governance, the toxic political environment and state of the economy".

CEO of the Thabo Mbeki Foundation, Max Boqwana, said the national dialogue is not an attempt by former presidents to "govern from the grave".