... the Western Cape government has dissolved the Provincial Development Council and has reduced funding for progressive organs of civil society. [Interjections.]
They do not value partnerships and meaningful consultation for development. They do not recognise the pivotal role of CSOs in democratic transformation. Therefore, they are careless about their voice in critical matters that affect their lives.
As an agency of government, the NDA is tasked with the responsibility of strengthening civil society organisations as an important sector of our society to deliver services to the poor. The NDA focuses on strengthening the institutional and technical capacity of civil society organisations in South Africa. The institutional capacity strengthening programme uses a combination of training and mentoring to ensure that the CSOs are sustainable and effective. [Interjections.] The NDA also provides training and support to CSOs to improve their technical skills, such as farming and various skills in early childhood development.
In the last financial year, the NDA managed to capacitate 223 CSOs benefiting 3 831 members. The CSOs were trained on how to better manage and provide quality services to the communities they serve. The agency also assessed improvements shown by the capacitated CSOs on what they were trained and mentored on, and 77% of the CSOs showed significant improvement in their operations. This is undoubtedly a positive result from the NDA capacity-building programme.
The major challenge facing the NDA and CSOs is the coverage of the capacity- building programme. The resources allocated for this work have not been enough to allow the NDA to increase its coverage. However, the ministerial committee, through the leadership of the hon Minister Bathabile Dlamini, took a decision that the NDA will work with provincial departments of social development to capacitate the nonprofit organisations, NPOs, in all the provinces. Through this directive, the NDA will target 14 371 NPOs in all nine provinces to be provided with training, mentoring and incubation. The targeted NPOs provide social development services in poor and remote areas.
Jaaka karolo ya go diragatsa tekolo mo go NDA, komiti ya tiro e dirile dikatlenegiso di le mmalwa tsa setheo tsa go tokafatsa go dira tiro ka manontlhotlho, ka nako le ka tsela eo e bonalang mme e na le tshusometso.
Mo go diragatseng dikatlenegiso tseo, NDA e okeditse go nna mosola ga yona ka go bona mafaratlhatlha a diporofense le go thapa badiri bao ba feleletseng go tokafatsa phitlhelelo le go tsibogela ditlhokwa tsa batho. Go feta fao, NDA e setse e bone mafelo a kabo ya ditirelo, mo nageng, mo ngwageng wa matlole wa 2013-14 go kgontsha set?haba go fitlhelela tshedimosetso ya tlhabololo ya loago. (Translation of Setswana paragraphs follows.)
[The portfolio committee has made several recommendations to the agency, as part of the NDA assessment, to do their job on time, with diligence and influence.
In fulfilling those recommendations, the NDA increased its importance by acquiring provincial networks and employing enough staff to improve access and respond to the needs of the people. Furthermore, the NDA has already procured sites for service delivery in the country in the 2013-2014 financial year to enable the nation to access social development information.]
We request the hon Minister to lobby enough funds for the NDA. We wish to recognise the significant role that the new board of the NDA and the CEO have played in stabilising the organisation. They have provided the much- needed strategic leadership and guidance, resulting in better developmental outcomes on the ground. We indeed wish to acknowledge the progressive improvement in the performance of the agency and derive confidence from the testimonies of the poor and marginalised in various communities that have been touched by its services.
As I conclude, I just want to remind the opposition of the words of Cesar Chavez, an American activist and labour organiser, and I quote:
We cannot seek achievement for ourselves and forget about progress and prosperity for our community. Our ambitions must be broad enough to include the aspirations and needs of others, for their sake and for our own.
I want to say to you in Setswana, Minister, that ...
... kgomo mogala tshwara thata, e se re go utlwa sebodu wa kgaoga. [... perseverance is the mother of success.]
The ANC supports Budget Vote No 19. Thank you. [Applause.]