South African Youth Council

SAYC PRESENTATION ON THELOTTERIES AMENDMENT BILLAUGUST 2013

WORKING TOGETHER WE CAN DO MOREBRIEF ABOUT SAYC• SAYC is a voluntary association of civil society youthorganizations• Represents the interests of young people that are organized ina vast spectrum of involvement including– political youth organizations,– faith based youth formations,– student organizations,– business sector,– arts & culture formations,– Broader youth NGOs and– single issue based youth organizations• SAYC provides a platform to unify these interests• SAYC represents the youth sector in– NEDLAC – NSA – SETAs – APRM – SANAC – Pres High LevelEconomic Council

WORKING TOGETHER WE CAN DO MOREGENERIC COMMENTS• The need to amend the NLA was discussed by the nationalconference of the SAYC• The NLC must be positioned as a strategic development partner• The NLC should not be viewed as a panacea to all fundingchallenges• The quantitative output the NLC should be balanced with impact• In order to achieve impact, the programmatic choice and designof must be underpinned by the following considerations andimperatives:– Low entry barriers– Accessibility– Reach– Scale– Visible outcomes– High impact

WORKING TOGETHER WE CAN DO MOREPRINCIPLES• The amended Act should instruct the work of the NLC to be guided by thefollowing principles:– Development– Responsiveness– Transparency– Accountability– Redress– Equitable allocation of resources– Effectiveness and Efficiency

WORKING TOGETHER WE CAN DO MOREDISTRIBUTION AGENCIES• The Act must introduce coherent institutional mechanisms between the NLCand the NLDTF• The Distributing Agencies should account to the Commission• Members of the DAs should be appointed by the Board• Members of the DAs should be suitably qualified experts who serve on apart-time basis to adjudicate applications– Ministerial appointments vs full time staff– Blurred lines of operational accountability– Increased costs of full time staff• The chairpersons of the DAs should sit as ex-officio members of the board• The adjudication function must be anchored by an efficient administrativesupport system that minimises turn-around time through checking ofmandatory qualification of applications• The composition of the DAs must include designated groups (Y, W, D)

WORKING TOGETHER WE CAN DO MOREORGAN OF STATE• The concept of the Organ of State is vague and ambiguous• We see the role of government in this regard as providing a conduciveenvironment for business to operate; not to compete• If not properly institutionalised, the organs of state might not have the adhoc technical capacity to run the lottery, including:– ICT– Systems– Human Resource• The NLC should be capacitated to run the lottery in case of a delay inawarding the license• The Act should provide for the Minister to appoint a care-taker company torun the lottery for a period not exceeding 30 months

WORKING TOGETHER WE CAN DO MOREFUNCTIONS OF THE COMMISSION:• We commend the mandate to “Conduct Research on worthy good causesthat may be funded without lodging an application”• This will enable programmatic relevance and responsiveness of the NLC• It will provide the necessary flexibility to respond to immediate and emergingcommunity needs• Research will enhance the capacity of the NLC to generate knowledge toinform its planning• Good Practice vs Improving Lives• Upon defining the strategic fit, the worthy good causes will have to submitproposals that provide project details and budget• The Commission must be empowered to “Solicit applications for grants fromworthy good causes”• This will promote and support the spirit of self-initiative amongstcommunities• This is similar to the practice of “unsolicited proposals”

WORKING TOGETHER WE CAN DO MOREFUNCTIONS OF THE COMMISSION• We welcome the clause to enable the Commission to “promote publicknowledge and awareness”• This should include appraising communities of the common mistakesvarious organisations make in their funding applications (to mitigate inadvance)• In discharging this responsibility, the Commission should also leveragealready existing platforms of APEX bodies especially of sectoralorganisations to access their networks• Public education and awareness should also be linked to capacity building• Appointment of the Commissioner:– 2B(a) to include performance of the core mandate of the Commission

WORKING TOGETHER WE CAN DO MOREMEMBERS OF THE BOARD• “At least four members of the board shall be persons who are notin the service of any sphere of government”• This should include due consideration for designated groups i.eYouth, Women, and People with disabilities

WORKING TOGETHER WE CAN DO MOREBOARD COMMITTEES• “Any delegated function so performed shall be deemed to havebeen performed by the board”• The functions delegated to the Committees must be reportedback to the board• The outcomes (decisions) of the Committees must serve asrecommendations to the board for approval• This section should also provide space for the board to establishad hoc advisory panels on specific issues of interest at the time

WORKING TOGETHER WE CAN DO MORELICENCE• We propose that the initial duration of the licence should be ten (10) years• The option of extension by the Minister for a period not exceeding 24months is supported• “The Minister may after consultation with the board vary any condition in thelicence...”– This proposed power of the Minister in consultation with the board should be balancedwith an option for the board to advise the Minister of a necessity to vary the licenceconditions

WORKING TOGETHER WE CAN DO MOREAMENDMENT OF SEC 28• 26(b) “The distributing agency shall consider applications for grants andmay pay such grants...”• Consistent with our view of clear lines of accountability, We propose that theDA should adjudicate and approve applications• The Commission should effect the actual payment• This will bring about proper checks and balances between the work of theDAs and the Commission

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS• We welcome the balancing of the audited financial statements withindependently reviewed statements• This will give an opportunity to small community based organisations who aredoing great work in their communities to access funding like well establishedorganisations who might even be doing less work• The stringent requirement of three years audited financial statements was anunintended hindrance to small organisations and promoted a league oftraditional beneficiaries• This balancing will bring about redress and equitable allocation of resourcesaccording to needs

GOVERNMENT PRIORITIES• We highly commend the spirit of the amendment bill in creating synergybetween the work of the NLC and the government priorities• Government priorities and civil society work are not mutually exclusive (Falseline)• If not align with government priorities, who’s priorities???• Alignment with government priorities does not mean funding governmentbudget deficit or providing budget relief• Upon adoption of plans like the NDP, they cease to be government plans andbecome those of society as a whole• The Act must compel the NLC to align its work with the mainstreamdevelopment agenda in line with the NDP, local economic developmentimperatives, any relevant sectoral strategies, etc.

CONCLUSION• There is a seeming overload of duties to the Minister throughout the Bill• The thrust of the Bill should provide space for collaboration of efforts andminimise duplication and enforce sustainability of efforts beyond the NLCinput

THE END!THE END!THULANI TSHEFUTAPRESIDENT: SOUTH AFRICAN YOUTH COUNCILttshefuta@gmail.com072 015 7957• THANK YOU