Non-profit organisations (NPOs) play an integral role in South African society, providing support, funding and expertise in areas ranging from social security to education, health to the environment. Now, a group representing this key sector is petitioning for the withdrawal of the NPO Amendment Bill, citing concerns about how the proposed changes in the document will impact the operation of NPOs.

The NPO Working Group, formed in late 2021 to assist with coordinating comments from the NPO sector about the amendments in the bill, launched the petition calling for the withdrawal of the proposal towards the end of May 2022.

There has been consultation between the department and the NPO sector during the years leading up to the bill, according to Mohamed. She referenced two reports by the Human Sciences Research Council, commissioned by the National Development Agency, that looked at regulatory frameworks requirements and capacity building for the South African civil society sector, respectively.

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