Former President Thabo Mbeki has warned that South Africa lacks a coherent strategy to address deepening inequality, poverty, and unemployment, calling the country 'leaderless' in its efforts.

Speaking at the CSI Indaba 2026 in Johannesburg, Mbeki accused the government of failing to implement meaningful economic reforms, describing current initiatives as a 'wish list' rather than actionable plans.

He highlighted the collapse of the social compact—a framework meant to unite stakeholders in tackling national challenges—as evidence of systemic failure.

Mbeki criticized the National Development Plan for outlining a vision without concrete steps, and dismissed claims of economic recovery, citing declining investment metrics.

He also condemned the government's handling of the national dialogue process, accusing officials of 'hijacking' efforts to exclude key constituencies like youth and women.

Mbeki urged renewed collaboration between business, civil society, and government, warning that without such cooperation, South Africa risks further decline.His remarks underscore growing frustration with the country's economic trajectory and governance structures.