Interaction with ANC, DA and EFF – but on civil society’s terms

The issue of spaces for engagement between civil society and government is one that continues to be controversial as many debate that these spaces are closing down or being underutilised. This was a matter raised at a debate chaired by Inyathelo which provides support for South African civil society. DA MP, Dr Wilmot James; ANC MPL, Max Ozinsky; EFF Western Cape Convenor and Premier candidate, Nazier Paulsen debated the continuing role of civil society in South Africa, 20 years after our first democratic election. The event itself was arguably a space that allowed for the type of engagement that those within the civil society sector have called for.

ANC MPL, Max Ozinsky, stated that the ANC saw itself as part of civil society and often the organisation found it hard to distinguish between its role in government and its interaction with civil society. This was due to its rich history of citizen activism. He said that the party would continue to find ways to engage with civil society in a way the opposition had not.

Ozinsky said that within the Western Cape, the DA had managed to shut out civil society and leave them out of consultation processes on many levels. ‘I have experienced this’, he said, as he had done work with organisations that ‘the municipal and provincial government had sidelined’. It was important for civil society not to rely on government for funding as they would then be accountable to and co-opted into government.

Dr Wilmot James, a DA MP, though referencing some specific suggestions to strengthen civil society by increasing tax deductions for charitable donations and making use of lengthier funding cycles, slung mud in the opposite direction saying how National Government had often sidelined civil society. He spoke especially to the Department of Arts and Culture which had used funding for organisations to ‘throw parties for the ANC’ and for a ‘t-shirt campaign’. Corruption was at the core of the sidelining of civil society when it came to the ANC.
It became clear from the debate that sidelining of civil society by official structures was a matter that both civil society and government could attest to!

Nazier Paulsen said civil society must expose corruption, work for good governance and limit the power of the state.

This event provided a new channel for engagement on what could be seen as ‘on civil society terms’ rather than engaging with more formalised channels. Various organisations including Good Governance Learning Network (GGLN) and SWEAT commented that formal channels for engagement were often ineffective with the GGLN representative stating, “It seems the power lies with the people until they vote, then they are ‘represented’.” Civil society being unable to truly engage with government was at the heart of many of the questions posed.

James Taylor from Community Development Resource Association (CDRA) addressed the panel asking if there were possibly new forms of engagement to give hope to those who had been looking for decades for channels that did not invite “the less powerful to engage in your processes”. Civil society was looking for new forms of engagement. Taylor argued that government should be engaging in civil society’s projects and not the other way round. In response, the parties spoke obliquely about continuing the good engagement with civil society as their parties had done in the past.

Many more organisations ranging from arts groups to those working in the field of governance were able to raise questions on how government would continue to engage with civil society and if there would be genuine engagement post the election ‘silly season’ as Taylor called it. Events such as these could possibly be the answer to Taylor’s question on new forms of engagement as it allowed for engagement on two levels: physical and digital. Persons unable to attend in person were able to follow the debate and provide questions to the panel on Twitter through the hashtag #InyatheloTalks. The event was televised via CTV, a first for Inyathelo who had harboured fears that this would dampen the level of debate but it did not stop those present from engaging with controversial claims such as the EFF representative, Premier candidate Nazier Paulsen stating that ‘Parliament was no longer useful but a place where people went to get fat’.

Forums such as these could, in a post election context, allow for the maximising of communication and opening up of channels that had been closing down. Civil society has a role to play in pushing for engagement on their terms.