Programme Director
Respected Clergy present
Members of the Congregation
Brothers and Sisters

I am honoured to have received an invitation to speak at this great milestone achieved by the people of God. I am also humbled to grace any occasion where the word of God is spoken and where the presence of God is celebrated.
To give selflessly to those in need in itself is an answer to Gods call that we should all work on this earth towards the good of all mankind. Many are called but few are chosen and those chosen are not by accident. It is Gods will and what He wills will be.
Our people face many challenges, many hardships and many burdens. And in this darkness and moral decay a light shines brightly. It shines hopefully. And it shines with promise and comfort. And that light brothers and sisters is the church. Centre to all who do should always be the church. It is the one place where we can be at peace with ourselves and at peace with others. Here there is no distinction between rich and poor. Between sick and healthy. Between black and white. This is the one place where we are all equal and free. Free from all the temptations and troubles of this world.
For as long as mankind has been around, the church, or place of worship has always been at the centre of our everyday existence. And it should always remain as such. Our communities are torn apart by many ungodly factors. Drug abuse, women and child abuse, teenage pregnancies, HIV Aids, TB, poverty, infidelity and so many more societal issues threaten to destroy the communities we live and pray in.
And the reality is that Government cannot alone be tasked with fixing our broken societies. It calls for a joint effort from all of us. All of us no matter how insignificant we see ourselves has the ability to turn our communities around.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The South African Civil Society plays a significant role in addressing the needs of vulnerable communities. The proximity of NPO’s to individuals and communities makes them a significant partner in the provision of social services. In line with International practices the South African Government has acknowledged the reliance of Provinces on NPO’s to deliver much needed services. The National Development Plan states that in the provision of professional social services the State relies mainly on NPO’s to fulfil on its Constitutional and developmental mandates.
In recognition of the invaluable contribution of the NPO sector to South Africa’s economic and social wellbeing, government enacted the Non-Profit Organisations Act in 1997 to create an enabling environment and align them with the Constitution of the Republic.

At that time, there was an estimated 10 000 registered organisations in both the formal and informal NPO sector. 

There are now about 100 000 organisations in the NPO sector and more than 85 000 are registered in terms of the NPO Act.
 
The registration figures are highly impressive, given that except for welfare organisations seeking direct support from the Department of Social Development, registration under the NPO Act is voluntary.

It is in the culture of transparency and respect for funders that the NPOs have opted to register and do everything above board. We acknowledge this sound management practice. As government we appreciate the work of the NPOs as they complement our work and at times reach communities quicker as some are based within communities. But a lot more has to be done in terms of full compliance to all the prescripts governing NPO’s. And that is exactly what this Summit seeks to address.

Many NPOs do valuable work in the field of child protection, prevention of women abuse, legal aid provision, food security provision, victim empowerment and a host of others. We recall the invaluable support we received from NPOs as government during the drafting of the Children’s Act of 2005. It was remarkable that government and NPOs could work together so well on a piece of legislation, and in the end, the product is supported and implemented by all. There are lessons for all of us in the work that was done then, over 10 years.

At the height of the social grants extension campaign a few years ago, we relied on many community based organisations and NGOs to identify needy families in various areas, and to assist them to apply for social grants.
Working together with NPOs we have certainly done more. And despite what the naysayers would propagate- in this regard too, we have a good story to tell. A very good one indeed. And the Launch of the AFM Welfare Centre is yet another chapter in the book of stories that will be recorded in the history of Postmasburg and the Northern Cape.
There are new NPOs on the scene, others promoting good work in enforcing the role of men in fighting women and child abuse.  Others assist us in promoting HIV testing and the expansion of access to anti-retroviral drugs. We cannot as government, do all this work alone. Many run child care centres in communities which provide care and nutrition to children, allowing women to earn a living.
Ladies and gentlemen,
In addition to providing much-needed services, NPOs also play an important role in promoting volunteerism and job creation.  While there is no official data in this regard, there is an abundance of dedicated, professional and experienced people who work in this sector and make up South Africa’s workforce.

Similarly, we have witnessed a surge in the number and registration of cooperatives in the last ten years.
In the past four years the world economy has experienced the worst economic crisis and global political turmoil that the world has ever seen. Unfortunately, the crisis has led to a shrinking of financial support to many NPOs locally. We hear that many companies no longer provide corporate social assistance as they did in the past, due to financial constraints.

This situation threatens the viability of many NPOs that play an important role in meeting social service needs and in promoting development. It therefore becomes crucial that we find innovative means to sustain NPO’s and to keep them going. The work that they do is invaluable to Government and we will walk this road along with you and assist with whatever is at our disposal.

I know personally the contribution that such NPOs can make in support of the work of government, to improve the lives of many people that government cannot reach fast enough.

I have no doubt that government and NPOs will continue to work together meaningfully, as we have done so for many years, to address the challenges confronting our society. The work that you do goes a long way in reversing the moral decay of our communities. The church and organizations such as yours will forever remain a beacon of hope to the needy, poor, hopeless, destitute and afflicted. The challenge is to bring Government and the church together to work towards that common goal of a better life for every one of our people. We can and we have proven to have done it before.
Let us continue to work together, to do more to improve the lives of our people.

Thank you