According to the Department of Social Development’s Online page today (9th of June 2019) a total of 213 647 NPO’s are registered in South Africa. In 1998, 103 new NPO’s were registered and in 1999, 1726 new NPO’s registered. For the period between 2000-2009 an average number of 6670 new NPO’s were registered per year. Since 2010 the number of registrations has surpassed the 10 000 mark for every year:
2010 - 1093
2011 - 11390
2012 - 11216
2013 - 16605
2014 - 14685
2015 - 12820
2016 - 13554
2017 - 14924
2018 - 15479
The number of NPO’s registered for 2019 so far is 6658. (all of aforementioned is based on registration date indicated by DSD in online register] WTF. This is not the answer for the overwhelming social problems that face our country. The Non-Profit and Non-Governmental field played a major role in addressing injustices and lack of services to the majority of South Africans prior to 1994, and there should be no reason for them in playing a leading role in present time. But :
Why is the Department of Social Development facilitating this process? Why does every second person see the need to establish a Non-Profit. Why do present existing and long established [including national and provincial] organisation’s have such a problem with it. As far as the Government is concerned, I assume that the unchecked establishment of additional NPO’s is linked to the original thinking (after 1994) that the established and subsidized organisation’s are not rendering services to priority areas and client groups.
But – the established organisation’s will say – this is no longer applicable. Or is it? I belong to various Professional groups and pages where this issue has been highlighted. Regarding the startup of thousands of organisation’s per year it seems that some are seeing this as job creation or income generation. This certainly seems true for some. However, the majority only want to address a pressing need in their community that nobody else seems to be addressing. DSD only requires that the potential NPO must satisfy certain administrative governance requirements – you do not need to demonstrate need when registering.
So, then we have duplication of services, duplication of overhead costs [accountants, management staff, rent etc.] and the continued fragmentation of social services. And also, very important – we have the competition monster, where all NPO’s (whether new or established] start competing for limited funding. On some of these groups and pages that I subscribe to, the potential Start-up NPO’s are advised to rather slot in at present organisation’s. But let’s be honest – how much support will they get. How many of them will be told this is not the organisation’s focus – or there is no money. [or their TPA does not provide for this] Is the present status of service division between NPO’s not based on job security of existing organisation’s and staff? [one works this suburb, other works other suburb in same town etc.
I have heard of work division according to street numbers] Should these established organisation’s not amalgamate? The establishment and development of the Non-Governmental field was based on the fact that they could be innovative, flexible, independent, as well as responsive to the needs of the community on grassroots level. In the past few years we have worked with various Non-Governmental Organisation focusing on various organisational functions such as fundraising, developing Monitoring and Evaluation systems, Human Resource Management, Governance, strategic planning and others. When requesting information from organisations on whatever subject we are continuously referred to the dreaded TPA. It seems that the original vision, mission and objectives that led to the establishment of many older Non-Governmental organisations, is now fully guided and limited by what their TPA stipulates.
Many NGO’s are not adhering fully to the purpose of their founding, but rather to the vision of Government’s Social Development goals. These organisations planning sessions do not focus on the needs identified in communities – but how to satisfy the requirements of the new TPA. And many of them do this – not because they agree with priorities or process – but to ensure continued existence of the organisation and job security for staff. With DSD functioning as a Purchaser of Service, they buy what they see as a need. They do not see their role or responsibility to fund the continued existence of an independent Non-Profit field – they simply buy services according to priorities identified. Those funded organisations who see their future as fully interlocked with DSD, in reality become mini-Me’s of DSD. If we don’t reverse this trend, we will optimally be in a place, where one question the continued existence of, and need for, NGO’s. It is this present approach of NGO’s that leaves the gaps in service provision in communities that others are scrambling to fill. What needs to happen:
Department of Social Development needs to clearly indicate what their intent is regarding the further fragmentation of Social Services to the Citizens of South Africa. They need to indicate how tens of thousands of organisation’s who are under-resourced, under-staffed and under-financed will address problems such as social exclusion, poverty, unemployment etc.
The NPO/NGO field will have to pro-actively unite to determine the future of this field in South Africa. We need to do this before we are forced or instructed to do so.
The NPO Field in SA need to be fearless and have a disregard for ourselves as individuals or our individual organisation’s – our only guiding principle being the needs of the communities we serve. o We need to be fearless in challenging Government policy and process. We need to focus on our advocacy role for our communities. o We need to acknowledge the needs we have not addressed and include all parties as equal partners – including the people/groups who have started/registered organisation’s in the past few years. o When we have done this, we can negotiate and interrogate with Government from a position of strength. o In addition, we can negotiate and contract with funders – national and international, as a unified and strong body. This will put us in a position to join as equal partners in the discussions as to where funding must be directed – both in term of problem areas or source to be funded [government or non-government] And by doing so the NPO/NGO field in South Africa can resume the pivotal role it used to play in our country – as both the architect and implementer of innovative, needs based services.
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