Building

democracy
in Africa
An African democracy institute Kutlwanong Democracy Centre
357 Visagie St cnr Prinsloo St

building sustainable democratic Pretoria 0002

societies in collaboration with

PO Box 56950
Arcadia 0007
Ph: +27 12 392 0500
Idasa Sustainability and Capacity Report
African and global partners. Fax: +27 12 320 2414
www.idasa.org
Mission statement

An African democracy
institute building sustainable
democratic societies in
collaboration with African
and global partners.

It is a registered Section 21 company in South Africa, has a functioning Board of

Directors, and employs Grant Thornton as its company auditors. Idasa is a recognised
public interest organisation in Africa. It maintains international links with many similar
organisations through the world movement for democracy
Building
democracy
in Africa
Idasa Sustainability and Capacity Report
Contents

1. INTRODUCTION.............................................................3
2. ORGANISATIONAL PROFILE............................................5
Brief History...................................................................5
Corporate Orientation.......................................................5
Organisation...................................................................7
Structure.................................................................7
Strategic Toolkit......................................................10
Size .....................................................................10
Financial Strength..................................................10
Probity..................................................................10
Project Support......................................................10
Capacity .....................................................................12
Project Management...............................................12
Experience.............................................................12
Project Approach....................................................12
Personnel..............................................................12
Facilities................................................................13
Quality Assurance...................................................13
3. Achievements...........................................................14
Civil Society, Representative Democracy
and Governance............................................................14
Working with Government and Civil Society......................14
Working with the Private Sector......................................14
Capacity Building..........................................................15
Influencing Policy..........................................................15
Analysis .....................................................................16
Institutional Change Programmes....................................16
Service Delivery Interventions.........................................16

2 // Idasa Sustainability Capacity Report

1. INTRODUCTION
Idasa is an African democracy institute
building sustainable democratic societies
in collaboration with African and global
partners.
Idasa’s projects adapt as the context and
challenges change, but our organisation’s
core skills remain:
ƒƒ Social research and analysis,
ƒƒ Training and public education,
ƒƒ Coalition and network building,
ƒƒ Political facilitation (combining
advocacy, problem solving, consultancy
and project management), and
ƒƒ Performance monitoring, evaluation and
information dissemination.
Idasa has been incorporated as a company
not having a share capital in terms of section
21 of the South African Companies Act
1973. As a non-profit institution with a
very particular objective, Idasa maintains
its independence and capacity through
a range of diverse funding mechanisms.
It has strong partnerships with many
international donors from both the
government and private sectors. It also has
a fee-for-service component and a domestic
fund-raising programme. Since the 1994
general elections in South Africa and the
establishment of democratic government, it
has provided services to national, provincial
and local government, initiating projects at
grassroots level right up to the highest tiers
of government.
In 1998 Idasa took the decision to expand
its work across the continent and to other
developing countries. Since then it has
implemented projects in Nigeria, Rwanda,
Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho,
Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania,
Swaziland, Kenya, Ghana, Uganda,
Bangladesh, Kosovo, Brazil, Argentina,
Paraguay and elsewhere. The expertise,
confidence and skills gained through this
experience has made Idasa one of the
largest and most effective ‘home grown’ non-
government organisations on the continent.
Idasa Sustainability Capacity Report // 3
 It is too soon to say
with confidence that
this will be the ‘African
Century’, but the
context is dynamic and
full of new potential.
There are great
threats and there are
great opportunities.
With our focus on
governance we see
an imperative to
innovate, and to do so
constantly.
Richard Calland, director of
Idasa’s Economic Governance
Programme

4 // Idasa Sustainability Capacity Report

2. ORGANISATIONAL PROFILE
Brief History
Idasa was founded during a state of
emergency in South Africa, a time
when gross human rights violations and
an extremely volatile political climate
characterised a country being crippled by
the then apartheid regime. Idasa endured
through the national negotiation process,
the founding election and later elections,
during the reconstruction of the state, and
into a period of normal democracy within
a developing country and an integrating
region. Throughout, the organisation has
maintained its goal of building a sustainable
South African and African democracy, based
on active citizenship, democratic institutions
and social justice.
Company Registration (Section 21 of the
South African Companies Act 1973)
VAT Registration
Domicile
Postal Address
Contact
Principal Officer
Accounting Officer/Board Treasurer
Board Secretary
Bankers
Auditors
Our historical background, direct experience
and the varied projects we have implemented
over the years are evident in our know-
how teams of highly skilled personnel and
networks of specialised organisations that
offer high-level facilitation and problem-
solving and are equipped to address the
many challenges faced by various countries
in need of assistance.
Corporate Orientation
Idasa was established in 1987 as a non-
government, non-profit and non-taxable
entity:
1987/00079/08
452 016 8115
Kutlwanong Democracy Centre
Cnr. Visagie & Prinsloo Streets
Pretoria 0002
South Africa
PO Box 56950
Arcadia 0007
South Africa
Telephone +27 12 392 0500
Facsimile +27 12 320 2414/15
Email info@idasa.org.za
Mr Paul Graham
Ms Florince Norris
Ms Rene Botha
Standard Bank of South Africa
Grant Thornton
Idasa Sustainability Capacity Report // 5
Organisation
Structure
Idasa is governed and managed by a board of
directors, with a non-executive, independent
chairperson, to whom the executive directors
are responsible. This ensures the highest
standard of corporate governance in line with
general international best practice (e.g. an
independent chair, a remuneration committee
made up of independent directors, an audit
committee, and a system of internal control
for which the directors take responsibility).
Non-Executive Directors:
Professor Njabulo Ndebele (Board
Chairperson)
Renowned author and retired Vice-
Chancellor and Principal of the University
of Cape Town, Cape Town
Ms Glenda Wildschut
Consultant, Desmond Tutu Academy,
Cape Town
Ms Lindiwe Ndlela
Director, Palmer Development Group,
Johannesburg
Dr Michele Ruiters
Programme Manager, Development Bank
of SA, Midrand
Professor Andre du Toit
Emeritus Professor, Department of
Political Studies, University of Cape Town,
Cape Town
Mr Roelf Meyer
Director, FeverTree Consultants,
Johannesburg
6 // Idasa Sustainability Capacity Report
EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS:
Mr Paul Graham
Executive Director, Idasa, Pretoria
Mr Ivor Jenkins
Director and Head: Project and Portfolio
Development, Idasa, Pretoria
Idasa is structured on the basis of Specialist
Programmes, Objective-oriented Projects and
Associated Bodies.
The Specialist Programmes are:
ƒƒ Safety and Security Programme
ƒƒ Economic Governance Programme
ƒƒ Political Information and Monitoring
Service
ƒƒ Southern African Migration Programme
ƒƒ Community and Citizen Empowerment
Programme
ƒƒ Media@idasa
ƒƒ Political Governance Programme
ƒƒ Governance and AIDS Programme
ƒƒ iLEDA – Initiative for Leadership and
Democracy in Africa
Idasa’s Specialist Programmes and Executive
Office have the expertise to conduct a broad
range of Objective-orientated Projects in
countries throughout Africa. These include
research, facilitation, public education,
training and democracy advocacy. Specific
beneficiaries vary by project but always
include government (in its various spheres,
powers or levels), civil society (in its various
NGO, CBO or CSO manifestations) as well as
selected private sector players on a case-by-
case basis.
The proven process of
“learning through action”
fuels Idasa’s approach. To
achieve this, we work closely
with country or international
partners, sharing knowledge
and skills to activate the
people and resources that
are beyond any single
organisation.
Idasa Sustainability Capacity Report // 7
Idasa is currently but not exclusively associated with the following bodies, with different
institutional arrangements:

Botswana Namibia
Ditswanelo (Botswana Centre for Human Namibia Institute for Democracy
Rights)
Senegal
Burundi Fédération des Organisations Non-
Institut de Développement Economique du Gouvernementales du Sénégal – Action
Burundi Paysanne

Cameroon South Africa

Association, Enfants, Jeunes et Avenir The Centre for Public Participation
(KwaZulu-Natal)
Ghana The Council for the Advancement of the
Centre for the Development of People South African Constitution (CASAC)
Ghana National Education Campaign Impumelelo Innovations Award
Coalition Open Democracy Advice Centre
Institute for Democratic Governance Parliamentary Monitoring Group
Integrated Social Development Centre
Swaziland
Kenya Save the Children Swaziland
Kenya National Association of Parents
Participatory Development Centre Tanzania
Agricultural Non State Actors Forum
Lesotho (ANSAF)
Lesotho Pre-Schools and Day Care Coalition Society for Quality Basic
Association Education
University of Dar es Salaam
Liberia
Foundation for Human Rights and Uganda
Democracy Development Network of Indigenous
Voluntary Associations
Malawi
Makerere Institute of Social Research
CISANET Secretariat
Uganda Debt Network
Civil Society Coalition for Quality Basic
Education Zambia
Mali Participatory Ecological Land Use
Management Association
Centre de Documentation, Recherche et
Formation RuralNet Associates Limited
Fondation pour le Devellopement du Sahel Zambia Civic Education Association

Mauritius Zimbabwe
Association Pour L’education Des Efants National Association of NGOs
Defavorises Save the Children Norway – Zimbabwe
Mozambique
Biological Agriculture, Biodiversity and For a complete record of the African countries
Sustainable Development (ABIODES) within which we work see the map on the
Faculdade de Direito – University of opposite page.
Mozambique
Rede Crianca

8 // Idasa Sustainability Capacity Report

Organisational footprint in Africa

Idasa Sustainability Capacity Report // 9

Strategic Toolkit
During our two decades of achievement,
Idasa has developed and refined a cost-
effective range of tools in various countries
and circumstances. These processes now
form the basis of our Strategic Toolkit, and
differentiate Idasa from other organisations:
ƒƒ Measuring and Monitoring Democracy
We adapt and apply the Afrobarometer,
Local Governance Barometer and the
Idasa Democracy Index to plan, measure
and monitor our programmes, and as
tools in building democratic societies.
ƒƒ Content Provision and Knowledge
Sharing
Our extensive library, supportive visitors’
programme and informative website with
social networking features, all promote
international knowledge sharing.
ƒƒ Building Partnerships and Communities
of Practice
Our proven ability to develop and fund
country-level partnerships in our specialist
areas helps to build and sustain effective
communities of democratic practice.
ƒƒ Facilitating Processes during Democratic
Transitions
Our competence in facilitating democratic
transitions equips us to plan, co-ordinate
and manage sensitive processes during
turbulent periods, when states or
development partners are not readily
able to maintain long-term programme
consistency.
Size
Idasa is an organisation able to attract the resources to implement and manage its growing
portfolio of projects:
2010
Project Portfolio:
Number 157
Value (ZAR ’million) 73,2
Financial Information:
Revenue 85,0
% of revenue 78%
Staff Numbers:
Full time 78
Contracted staff 42
Total 120
10 // Idasa Sustainability Capacity Report
Financial Strength
Summaries of Idasa’s audited financial
statements are available in the Idasa Annual
Reports as well as on the website at
http://bit.ly/8YsdOk. Detailed audited reports
are available on request. Idasa has been
declared a running concern by its auditing
firm since its inception in 1987. For the
past nine years, in accordance with the
King Commission’s recommendation on
accountability, Idasa has appointed new
auditors every three years.
Idasa is also the sole owner of its premises
in the Pretoria CBD with its office building
valued at over R16 million and with the
total value of non-movable assets set at
approximately R22 million.
Project Support
At present Idasa manages a project portfolio
of almost 160 projects in various stages of
design, development and implementation in
South Africa, across the rest of the African
continent and in other parts of the world.
Our project reports and global footprint are
available on request.
All projects are generally supported by
Idasa’s head office in Pretoria, which
has effective, efficient and economical
management, administration and financial
resources, physical infrastructure with fully
equipped offices and project management
expertise and knowledge built up since 1987
to guide and support project leaders and
project teams ‘in the field’.
2009 2008
112 83
89,9 99,6
91,3 99,6
85% 87%
76 70
35 37
111 107
“Social scientists have identified three key factors crucial to sustaining
and consolidating democratic rule. The first has to do with economics…
the second has to do with political institutions. That is, sustainable
democracies require a professional civil service and strong viable and
autonomous courts, legislatures, executives and electoral systems at
national and local levels… The third factor has to do with the attitudes
of rulers and citizens. Put simply, democracies require democrats.”
Bob Mattes, former Idasa manager who designed the Afrobarometer

These resources include Idasa’s core body on it by donor and other institutions. These
of managers and associates with expertise systems meet, among others, the accounting
gained over many years in various specialist and project requirements of the Canadian
fields and in general programme and International Development Agency (CIDA),
project management, as well as in financial Swedish Development Agency (SIDA),
administration. Danish Development Agency (DANIDA),
Swiss Development Corporation (SDC),
Idasa’s facilities include office blocks in
Department for International Development
Pretoria (which it owns) and two floors
(DfID), Ford Foundation, European Union,
rented in a building in Cape Town, fully
United States Agency for International
equipped with information technology,
Development (USAID) and Australian Agency
communications and document reproduction
for International Development (AusAID).
systems, and meeting, conference and
catering facilities. See a full list of donors here
http://bit.ly/byDW85.
In addition, Idasa has over the years
developed effective management, accounting
and administration systems and procedures
to ensure it meets the obligations placed

Idasa Sustainability Capacity Report // 11

Capacity
Project Management
Idasa’s projects are developed, implemented
and managed by its nine Specialist
Programmes, each headed by a competent
Programme Manager and supported and
guided by Idasa’s Executive Office.
The Executive Office includes a Strategic
Support Unit and is able to deal with
challenges that may be encountered by
any project. It also undertakes specific
projects and may take responsibility for the
design, development and implementation
of projects that are, at least in their initial
phases, politically sensitive or particularly
complex. This generally continues until
the project is fully established and able to
continue with less direct involvement from
executive management. It then may become
the full responsibility of an appropriate Idasa
Specialist Programme with oversight from the
Executive Office.
Experience
Since the beginning of 2010, Idasa’s
Specialist Programmes and the Executive
Office have designed, developed,
implemented and managed almost 160
projects of various sizes and complexity,
requiring diverse expertise, worth a total
value of almost R91 million. The objectives
of these projects have encompassed
democratic governance, anti-corruption,
effective government, training and facilitation,
capacity building, citizen participation,
conflict resolution, law enforcement reform
and citizen leader education. These projects
were implemented by Idasa or on behalf of
various donors and other institutions such
as government departments, multilateral
organisations and civil society institutions.
12 // Idasa Sustainability Capacity Report
Project Approach
The projects that Idasa develops, implements
and manages vary significantly in their
objectives, scope and scale.
Our projects, whether won as tenders or
developed in-house, comprise rigorously
identified project activities, aimed at
achieving clearly defined objectives and
performed within the specified time-period
and budget, to the satisfaction of the
contracting authority.
Idasa, therefore, ensures that it identifies
and works with relevant stakeholders;
has appropriate project coordination,
management and financing arrangements
in place and is committed to monitoring,
reviewing and evaluating the implementation
and management of the projects to ensure
effective performance.
This approach is supported by the use
of a model that enables project teams to
effectively plan work aimed at achieving the
intended results in a logical and systematic
process, and which connects resources with
targeted key results.
Personnel
Idasa employs 120 people with expertise
and exceptional experience in designing,
developing, implementing and managing
projects. It works with a range of experts
from NGOs and academia in implementing its
programmes, contracting the best consultants
in diverse fields to ensure the delivery of its
projects in the most effective and efficient
way. It also has the assistance and support of
Idasa’s administrative and accounting staff on
all its projects.
Idasa, in terms of its obligation and stated
policy, has achieved a satisfactory degree of
personnel diversity to date, and is continually
reviewing its progress (see table on opposite
page).
Idasa Staff Profile 2010
Foreign
Male Female Nationals
Occupational Levels Total
A C I W A C I W M F
Executive       2             2

Senior Management 2 3   1   2   2     10

Middle Management 1     1 2 1   4 1 3 13

Programme Staff (researchers,

14 3   9 9 2   2 9 5 53
trainers, co-ordinators)

Administrative Staff 4 2 1   12 6 1 7   1 34

Service Staff 2       6           8

Total Staff 23 8 1 13 29 11 1 15 10 9 120

Percentage 19% 7% 1% 11% 24% 9% 1% 13% 8% 8% 100%

Facilities Quality Assurance

Projects are supported from Idasa’s fully
equipped offices, which have up-to-date
information technology, communication
systems, document reproduction facilities,
administrative, financial and accounting
systems, core administrative staff, and
meeting and conference facilities.
Idasa ensures the quality of its projects
through its operational guidelines for
project development and implementation,
and through its monitoring, review and
evaluation processes. It has developed
the Afrobarometer, the Local Governance
Barometer and the Idasa Democracy Index as
tools for this purpose (see page 10).
Idasa’s operational guidelines in part require
that projects:
ƒƒ gain the active participation of key
stakeholders,
ƒƒ promote local ownership of the project,
ƒƒ use logic modelling and analysis
techniques to support key assessments,
and
ƒƒ incorporate key assessment criteria in
projects.

Idasa Sustainability Capacity Report // 13

3. Achievements
Idasa has a reputation as a non-partisan
organisation and works publicly and privately
with all the main political parties and
ideological groups in the countries in which it
works to achieve democratic outcomes.
It has successfully concluded a range of
tenders and agency work for various local
governments, district councils, national
parliaments, provinces and government
departments. Since 1998, it has
implemented and managed projects in many
countries in Africa, see map on page 9. It
has also worked further afield in Bangladesh,
Kosovo, the Middle East, the United States
of America and parts of South America, for
example.
Idasa maintains international links with
many similar organisations, in particular on
the African continent but also in Asia, North
America, South America, Europe and more
specifically Scandinavia.
Civil Society, Representative
Democracy and Governance
Idasa has been engaged in projects to
strengthen civil society and promote public
participation since its founding. It provides
advice on monitoring and analysis, finding
and implementing solutions where it can
and stimulating these where it is not the
most appropriate institution to act. Idasa’s
international networking and contribution
to initiatives such as Civicus and the
World Movement for Democracy have
made it aware of how difficult democracy
is to sustain, even in the so-called ‘older
democracies’.
Idasa contributes to the enrichment of civil
society not only through its own particular
programmes and projects, but also through
the institutional substance it can bring to the
ideas and innovations of others. There are
many initiatives and programmes which owe
all or a substantial part of their existence to
the support Idasa provided at crucial times
in their history – the Truth and Reconciliation
14 // Idasa Sustainability Capacity Report
Commission of South Africa, the Open
Society Foundation for South Africa, the
Network of Independent Monitors, the
Department of Language Facilitation at the
University of the Free State, and the Open
Democracy Advice Centre are examples of
these.
Working with Government and
Civil Society
Idasa prides itself on an ethos of
collaboration between civil society and
government stakeholders. Programmes work
closely with senior government officials and
representatives of CSOs and some facilitate
communication and conflict resolution
between government agencies, such as
the security forces on the one hand and
CSOs on the other. The Institute maintains
formal project relationships at government
level where appropriate. It has successfully
concluded tenders and agency work in
the areas of research, publication, training
and facilitation for South African local
governments, district councils, the national
Parliament, provinces and various line
departments. Since 1998 it has also worked
on contracts with governments in other
African countries and elsewhere.
Working with the Private
Sector
Over the years Idasa has worked effectively
with private corporations (both nationally
and internationally) and has developed
meaningful partnerships and relationships
which have helped drive Idasa’s overall
mission of achieving sustainable development
and democracy on the continent. Key factors
influencing these partnerships include our
financial sustainability (refer to pg 10),
sound internal governance structures and –
with the emerging social responsibility placed
on corporates – our knowledge, expertise and
proven track record within the sector.

Idasa has implemented projects on behalf
of or with corporations such as Ernst &
Young, BATSA (British American Tobacco
South Africa), SAB Miller and FeverTree,
to name a few. This is an area that Idasa
would like to expand on as we aim to
increase engagement with corporates at both
national and international level in order to
build mutually beneficial and sustainable
partnerships to drive the development
process on the continent and ensure that
the CSR/CSI component of the private
sector is functioning properly and achieving
sustainable outputs at ground level.
Capacity Building
A number of projects in African countries
aim to develop the capacity of CBOs and
NGOs to interact in a meaningful way with
government and to influence policy and
delivery of services. These projects include
capacity-building initiatives for CBOs and
Just as we responded
to the HIV/AIDS
crisis ten years
ago by identifying
the enormous
governance crisis it
had, in turn, created,
so now we are acutely
aware of the profound
sustainability
challenge that Africa,
like the rest of the
world, faces – a
challenge of urgency,
scale and inter-
dependency.
Richard Calland, director
of Idasa’s Economic
Governance Programme
NGOs in five South African provinces
and capacity-building projects for NGOs
in Zimbabwe and Angola. Idasa is also
a partner in the Civil Society Initiative in
South Africa, which brings together a large
number of CSOs, and most projects have a
component dealing specifically with building
civil society capacity in their respective focus
areas.
Influencing Policy
Through its Political Information and
Monitoring Service, Idasa regularly makes
submissions to parliamentary committees
on policy matters relating to transparency,
accountability and democratic process in
general, and has instituted or supported
litigation to ensure compliance with
constitutional principles. At the executive
level, Idasa has on numerous occasions
served as consultants in departmental policy-
making processes in the organisation’s areas
Idasa Sustainability Capacity Report // 15
of expertise, and has also been contracted Institutional Change
to facilitate public participation processes
such as public hearings for the Constitutional Programmes
Assembly and hearings on proposed Idasa was a partner in the Public Service
legislation and policies, such as the White Management Development Programme
Paper on Safety and Security. and in EU-funded programmes aimed at
improving service delivery by the South
Analysis African public service. In addition, the
capacity-building programmes for CBOs and
Several programmes deal directly with policy
NGOs in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Angola
and data analysis. The Political Information
and previously Zambia have a strong focus
and Monitoring Service engages in legislative
on institutional change through enhancing
analysis on a continual basis and periodically
management and administrative systems,
provides analysis of complex topical issues,
improving communication and ensuring
while many programmes have components
that CSOs become learning organisations by
which focus specifically on policy analysis
developing systems that promote feedback
in their areas of work. In addition, Idasa has
and participation, and creating space for
taken part in a study to assess the health
disciplined reflection on organisational
of civil society in South Africa and routinely
processes.
conducts needs analyses on commencement
of projects such as NGO capacity-building
projects in Zambia, Zimbabwe and Angola.
Idasa has developed a Democracy Index that Service Delivery Interventions
attempts to assess the quality and evaluate
Idasa’s capacity-building model emphasises
the performance of democracy in Africa. In
both delivery of state services and
an attempt to refine the concept of popular
constitutional obligations, and appropriately
self-government, the Democracy Index is
articulated and organised citizen demands.
designed around two key principles:
Many Idasa programmes promote pro-
ƒƒ the extent to which citizens can control poor service delivery through analysis of
those who make decisions about public government spending, technical assistance to
affairs (elected representatives and government agencies and capacity building
government appointees at all levels); for public participation in prioritising,
and, planning and monitoring service delivery.
ƒƒ the extent to which citizens are equal to
one another in this process.

16 // Idasa Sustainability Capacity Report

Mission statement

An African democracy
institute building sustainable
democratic societies in
collaboration with African
and global partners.

It is a registered Section 21 company in South Africa, has a functioning Board of

Directors, and employs Grant Thornton as its company auditors. Idasa is a recognised
public interest organisation in Africa. It maintains international links with many similar
organisations through the world movement for democracy
 Building
democracy
in Africa
An African democracy institute Kutlwanong Democracy Centre
357 Visagie St cnr Prinsloo St

building sustainable democratic Pretoria 0002

societies in collaboration with

PO Box 56950
Arcadia 0007
Ph: +27 12 392 0500
Idasa Sustainability and Capacity Report
African and global partners. Fax: +27 12 320 2414
www.idasa.org