The Role of NGOs in South Africa

CASNET PRESENTATION

13 – 14 March 2008

NGOs – What are they?●Non-government organizations (NGO)●Non-profit organizations (NPO)●Faith-based organizations (FBO)●Community-based organizations (CBO)●Civil society organizations (CSO)●Private voluntary organizations (PVO)

www.c4l.org

What is civil society?

•The social sector

•The Third sector

Private Sector

Public Sector

Civil Society

The Three-sector Economy

A picture of democracy

www.c4l.org

Where do we fit in?

www.c4l.org

Corporate Social Responsibility

Business Government

Civil Society

In South Africa

In Mozambique

Business

Government

Civil Society

Business

www.c4l.org

Pros & Cons

PUBLIC SECTOR

Motivation:National Development

Policy choices:Equity vs. excellence

- sets policy on the basis of democratic processes - make access a right- equity- authority to steer quality assurance

- large bureaucracy; slow & clumsy- insensitive to local & changing needs- civil servants can lack personal commitment

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES

PRIVATE SECTOR

Motivation:Profit

Policy choices:Company image vs. investment in HRD

- mobilize finances for NPOs-management capacity-respond to market needs- train workers

-cannot generate resources to scale-short term commitment toprojects-markets exacerbateinequalities

THIRD SECTOR

Motivation: altruism

Policy choices:Special interest vs. public interest

- personalize provision-competition & diversity- innovation

- selective targeting- cannot go to scale- fragmented

“Politicians fare less well than activists in the rankings of opinion polls because they are in the business of trying to be all things to all people.

Humanitarians, on the other hand, can stand up for one noble cause, and can compromise less.”

Mcleans Magazine, Canada

www.c4l.org

PublicPrivate Partnership

The best of both worlds!

What NGOs do best:

•Critique public policy

•Assuring transparency

•Social innovation

•Service delivery (the TLC factor)

1. Critique of Public Policy

Example:

CASNET's input into The Children's Bill

www.c4l.org

2. Social Innovation

Example:

C4L's OVC Programme

3. Service Delivery

EXAMPLE:

PENREACH

Whole School Development

Road Map

#1CASNET NGOs

Save the Children UK

Rockefeller Brothers Fund

www.c4l.org

Road Map#2

www.C4L.org

C4L Kids Clubs

Department of Health

Trevor Manual

www.c4l.org

Road Map#3

Penreach Schools

Penryn College

Donors

Challenges

➢Perceived competition from NGOs by government➢Change of government staff and therefore change of known faces creating loss of corporate memory for established relationships➢A need for NGO representation in government to provide better information exchange➢Coordination and timing of funding with needs➢Need to have more balance between civil societyand government

ROLE OF NGOs IN SOUTH AFRICA

• Critiquing public policy• Innovating Social Services• TLC (Service Provision near and dear to the people)