New Bill launched to target NGOs funded by foreign organisations

Externally funded non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that pushed an agenda to destabilise the country are set to be exposed in new legislation.

The Private Members’ Bill, to be tabled by the African Transformation Movement (ATM) president, Vuyolwethu Zungula, is being reviewed by the parliament’s legal department for compliance.

The ATM initiated the legislation amid concern about a growing trend among some NGOs to oppose legislation and other policies.

Many have taken the state to court to challenge legislations they claimed were unconstitutional, by using funds obtained from unknown foreign agencies and establishments.

An end to foreign funding

Since the dawn of democracy, when anti-apartheid foreign organisations ceased funding the anti-apartheid struggle, new and mostly conservative organisations and think-tanks have emerged to fund NGOs as “democracy watchdogs” in South Africa.

Zungula said the new legislation aimed to expose foreign agents who used NGOs and civil society groups as fronts to push their political agenda, which was often aimed at destabilising South Africa.

The intention is to ensure greater transparency from NGOs about their funding sources.

“We want to prevent foreign interference from people with hidden agendas,” Zungula said.

ALSO READ: 13 Gauteng NPOs under investigation, six shut down for being ‘unfeasible’

He cited cases where the Department of Mineral Resources was consistently opposed by NGOs for its mineral exploration for energy and gas in the southern Cape, at the expense of the country’s economic development and job creation from the exploration and mining projects.

“We want to protect the sovereignty of our country from foreign agents. You cannot have an NGO that is funded from outside the country operating as if it is a local citizen.

“They cannot have the same rights and privileges as a local NGOs when it comes to our legislative processes because these NGO do not have the development interests of our people at heart,” the ATM leader said

Zungula said the organisations were acting on behalf of faceless foreign funders and agents with hidden agendas, or pushing certain narratives in society.

There was general optimism among the majority of political parties over the new Bill. “There is positive support for the Bill from the majority of political parties,” Zungula said.

He expected the Bill’s legislative process to be completed by June, before it was sent to the National Assembly speaker.

It will then, in turn, be referred to the portfolio committee, that could initiate public hearings, if deemed necessary.

NOW READ: Health department engages NGOs after US freezes HIV/Aids funding