Programme director
The Executive Mayor of Albert Luthuli local municipality, Councillor ES Dlamini
Esteemed leadership of the corporate sector
Representatives from academic sector
Leadership of non-governmental organisations (NGO’s), community-based organisations (CBO’s)
May I, before I start; apologise for the MEC for Health and Social Development MS DG Mahlangu who had to attend to an urgent assignment today. Because of the value she attached on this event, she has requested me to attend on her behalf.
It is indeed a rare and quite a privilege moment for us to have been invited on this very important networking session primarily aimed at how best can we collectively deliver services to many of the people of South Africa, who despite commendable milestone made in the past 15 years of freedom and democracy, are still trapped in steep poverty.
Colleagues the genesis of the non-governmental organisation (NGO) sector in our understanding is borne out of an accurate understanding and reality that the state cannot possibly deliver on its own all essential services to our people. This is not to negate the state’s responsibility to provide services to the citizenry.
People from all walks of life have enormous power to change and determine on their own the course and direction of development. Everyone has a responsibility no matter how minute it can be, to participate in a common cause of making our country safer, habitable and prosperous for all its inhabitants.
The struggle against minority rule in South Africa and else where in the world, the fight for justice for all mankind, the response to many catastrophes that have shaped our world has succeeded due to the central role that the NGO sector has played.
Colleagues all of us will recall vividly the vibrancy of the NGO sector especially in the 1980’s in all spheres of society. What is even more important to note; was the integrity with which the NGO sector carried its work, where the focus was on nothing else but to assist our people in need of such services. The sprit of volunteerism also assisted a great deal to the sustenance of the NGO sector.
It is important also to note that funding for NGO sector on the period referred to above was significantly foreign. The local corporate sector was caught up with legitimacy issues and this had the effect on the supportive role they would have played towards the sector. It is also important to note that many of these NGO were rooted in the communities, which enhanced community participation and ownership of the work of these NGO’s. The important aspect of this community ownership was accountability. We should never underplay the centrality of accountability in any work we do.
The democratic breakthrough in 1994 brought with it new opportunities and setbacks for the NGO sector. The setbacks seem to have overtaken opportunities. The foreign funding for NGO sector has significantly evaporated in this period. This let to close of many community organisations whose work was so important that it could have provided a firm foundation for the new democratic government to work on. We also saw unprecedented skill flight of astute NGO activists who were attracted into better paying jobs in government and the private sector.
The consequence of the events has seen less effective and less vibrant NGO sector. The NGO has been forced to reconfigure. It does also look like immediately after the 1994 breakthrough, we all went on a lull thinking that the disposal of the apartheid rule meant that the democratic government will do everything and there would be no relevance for the sector.
Let us also look in the role of the corporate sector. The policy frame work of the democratic government was and remains to primarily break racial boundaries to the economy. This is a topic that attracts a lot of opinions on whether that should have been the pre-occupation of the state or not. But we should note that perhaps it is an excise that is inevitable.
In the course of breaking racial boundaries has the corporate sector neglected its role towards the NGO sector? In instances’ where we have been involved has it been genuinely on the cause of changing for the better the lives of the people of South Africa? Is our participation part of seeking tax rebates? Lastly are we all our intervention in assisting the sector rooted in the communities?
Colleagues I am asking these questions so that we have a thorough reflection and find a common meeting place for all of us. My argument is that the intervention of corporate sector should be based on common desire for a prosperous society, which is free of disease, illiteracy, poverty, underdevelopment, abuse, fear and want. Business thrives on stable environment. Stable environment is brought about by eradication of social ills which perpetuates inequality and creates disharmony.
It is however important for the NGO sector to come on board. We are here to deliberate on building best practice for the NGO sector. I have already alluded to accountability as a cornerstone for sustenance of the NGO sector. Our interventions will not yield any results if it is not responsive to community needs. The role of NGO is relevant today more than ever before.
For all intends and purposes, government alone can not deliver on the promise of better life for all. Our reach and resources are inadequate. The vibrancy, selflessness and voluntarism that characterised the 1980’s NGO sector is required now if we are to make a dent on poverty. The realisation of some of the millennium development goals (MDG) amongst which are to halve unemployment by 2014 requires a concerted effort by all of us.
The rising burden of disease, the alarming rate of crime, the rising rate of unemployment, the rising inequality in our society, the continuing abuse and neglect of women and children calls for a triangular collaboration between government, corporate and communities. Our relationship should be based on sound principles of integrity, shared purpose, common prosperity and self sustenance. Accountability, integrity and shared purpose should inform our practice in the NGO sector.
I thank you for the platform.
Issued by: Department of Health and Social Development, Mpumalanga Provincial Government
20 July 2009
Source: Department of Health and Social Development, Mpumalanga Provincial Government (http://www.mpumalanga.gov.za/healthsocserv/home.htm)
