Conversations with civil society – how can government better speak to civil society?

1. Conversations with civil society – how can government better speak to civil society? Isobel Frye SPII Studies in Poverty and Inequality Institute

2. Issues • What is civil society? • Matrix of engagements • Community participation • New thinking of supporting the building of social coherence

3. What is civil society? • Problematic use of term ‘sector’ • Diverse and complex make up that involves different sources of influence, inclusion and power • Organised around communities of interest • Civic, religious, welfare providers (state substitution, but really private contractors), professional bodies, ‘activist’ and conservative, think tanks, intermediaries, etc. • Highly diverse, with few strong single points of entry

4. Nostalgia for the organised structures of the UDF • Able to mobilise diverse existing structures across the country around successful campaigns • Clear political objective, and binding vision • Allowed for atmosphere for other dimensions, such as the National Development Forum with organic local linkages, strong civic root into communities • Disbanded, development of SANCO • Now seeing new forms of civic organisation, Andries Tatane – how does the state engage with their agency and mobilisation?

5. Structures for Social Dialogue/ Participation • Local government level – IDP participation • Policy – use of green and white papers with decentralised oral submissions • Commissions of enquiry to liaise with experts and specific issues • Feedback on policy implementation – set up transparent and effective M and E systems that the public can access • Welfare and local development intermediaries – respect as independent service providers • Danger: invitations to specific CSOs to participate in various processes tends to be divisive and cannot be representative of all views – the absence of a broad unbreall body makes this even more challenging

6. Strenghten existing institutions of democracy • NEDLAC is a statutory body with 6 membership based organisations representing “Community Constituency” – unhappiness by those excluded from these 6, need for real investment in providing the resources for effective engagement • Use constituency offices for effective communication between the citizens and the state through elected representatives

7. Parliament Cont. • This would allow for MPs to provide feedback to policy makers and communicate areas of concern or blockages, engage the relevant government department or unit if the constituency office not able to sort out issue • Constituency offices should be mapping these issues to ensure progress

8. NEDLAC • Community Constituency represents 6 communities of interest • Many structures outside accuse this as being exclusive and excluding • ILO conditions precedent for effective social dialogue includes “Strong, independent organisations with the technical capacity and knowledge required to participate in social dialogue” • If government keen to engage institutionally, it must build and strengthen the capacities within NEDLAC, dialogue on CC’s membership and how it relates to other communities of interest, how this could be broadened without creating unmanageable issues related to mandates and report backs

9. New vision of how to construct inclusive, conscientised and active country • John Luis, Wits Business School says innovative frontiers for development are increasingly design and the creative sectors • Many highly creative and active SAns under 40 are forging ahead in the fields of film making, music, play writing, performing in spite of a lack of real support and recognition by the state. Their work both interrogates current issues but also looks to creating new ways of being and visions of the future • They are highly popular amongst the youth who are looking for role models, but increasingly the artists themselves are disengaging from national questions due to this sense of a lack of support, which means we are losing huge potential for leadership and example • They don’t want hand outs from govt, but support – platforms for performance, sufficient funding, regulation – 90% local content, not 25% • Large potential growth area which is inclusive and builds national and social cohesion • Build a ‘Blk Sonshine generation’ with links to the rest of the African continent, not just Nike and Coke brands, and let a thousand flowers bloom