Statement: On World NGO Day we call for protection of civil society independence!

Today as we commemorate the World Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) Day, R2K pays homage to the work of people’s organisations in building and defending our ailing democracy amidst existing funding challenges and limited resources.

Through sustained action, civil society has managed to stop the Secrecy Bill, the R1 Trillion Nuclear Deal that could have cost the country dearly and continues to fight everyday against injustice and abuse of power by the state and the corporate sector.

Over the years we have witnessed an increasing role for civil society due to the fact that our government has failed dismally to respond to citizens’ needs. But instead of meeting these organisations half-way, the government opted to demonise them.

During Zuma’s regime a number of civil society organisations including R2K were labelled as ‘threats’ and activities of ‘third force’ hellbent at advancing regime change. Such paranoia and baseless allegations had a negative effect on the sector. In 2016, we saw the former President’s office drafting a bill to restrict foreign funding for NGOs and to compel international NGOs operating in the country to be licensed by the government.

Similarly, in the private sector, corporate actors have shown nothing but hostility towards organisations that have tried to hold them accountable. In some instances that has led to court threats such as the bogus defamation suit brought by Mineral Sands Resources against environmental advocates that have criticised their conduct. In other instances those who have stood up to big capital have paid the highest possible price: it has been nearly two years since anti-mining activist Sikhosiphi Bazooka Rhadebe was murdered, and his killers are still free.

As the country is currently in the midst of leadership change, we do not believe the era of intimidation and the clamping down on civil society organisations will be a thing of the past. While civil society organisations must take responsibility for building responsive, democratic organisations that are accountable to their constituents, we call on the government and the corporate sector to listen to the voices of civil society and cease to undermine their work. Protect the space for dissent!

We demand the government to:

• Stop the surveillance of civil society organisations
• Withdraw proposals to ‘regulate’ civil society and undermine its independence
• Finalise all criminal investigations for the murders of civil society activists such as Bazooka Rhadebe and prosecute the perpetrators
• We also call on the corporate sector to stop the systematic process of intimidating activists who oppose their shady ‘development’ deals
• Corporate sector  must be more open and transparent about how they work with our communities especially the mining industry.