The Changing Roles of Non-Governmental Organizations in Development in South Africa: Challenges and Opportunities

Given the changing environment of public administration, the roles played by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) will continuously evolve. NGOs are considered to be major role players in this era of governance as; in some instances, they fill the vacuum created by governments' inability to honor the social contract, particularly in developing countries. However, the role of NGOs in the development process does not come easily, as they are faced with a number of challenges and opportunities. The purpose of this chapter is to examine the changing roles of NGOs in development, focusing on the case of a country like South Africa. Using a qualitative method, the chapter relies on a review of the available literature on the roles of NGOs in developing countries with a specific reference to South Africa. Explanatory case studies are considered to ascertain the role NGOs play in development. Specific cases of NGOs operating in local government in South Africa are examined with the aim of highlighting their contribution to the development and also identifying some of the challenges and opportunities available to them. The chapter concludes by suggesting some avenues that could be explored to enhance the role of NGOs in development in South Africa.