There is something in our beleaguered country that works — and works beautifully. It is that mass of community groups, NGOs such as Section 27, trade unions, business bodies such as Business Leadership South Africa, charities such as Gift of the Givers, faith-based groups, and professional associations such as the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (Saica). It is our civil society.

If there is anything that is feisty, that shoots straight, that refuses to be cowed in this country of ours, it is civil society. Every day, you have some or other group marching, petitioning and litigating. If it weren’t for our vigilant, diverse, vibrant civil society organisations, South Africa would have collapsed years ago...

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