WHAT’S ON D6 PANEL

THE role of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in an election year is the subject of a panel discussion to be held at the District Six Homecoming Centre in Buitenkant Street, Cape Town, next week.

The discussion on Wednesday will be organised by the One City Many Cultures Project, Community Chest and District Six Museum, and will help to guide NGOs in the election period.

Panellists will include Reverend Courtney Sampson, provincial electoral officer for the Western Cape Electoral Commission; Reverend Chris Nissen, Western Cape Commissioner of the SA Human Rights Commission; Bulelwa Makalima-Ngewana, lead consultant: Graduate School of Business; Bertha Centre and Solution Space Philippi; Lorenzo Davids, chief executive of the Community Chest; Ncebakazi Mnukwana, board member of the One City Many Cultures Project and Cornerstone Institute; and Gordon Oliver, co-ordinator of the Electoral Code of Conduct Commission.

The session will be facilitated by Bonita Bennett, director of District Six Museum, and media expert and chair of the One City Many Cultures Project, Ryland Fisher, who will also unveil the book he recently wrote about the work that the Atlantic Philanthropies did in South Africa. Copies of the book will be available free.

Key questions which should be discussed include:

◆ What should be the relationship between NGOs and government?

◆ What role should NGOs play in relation to political parties?

◆ How do NGOs keep government to account in line with the Constitution?

◆ How do NGOs ensure that political parties behave in line with the Constitution during the election period?

Entrance is free but guests are welcome to make a donation to help cover expenses. RSVP to reception@ districtsix.co.za.

For more information, contact Ryland Fisher (rylandfisher@mweb.co.za or 082 800 5326), Bonita Bennett (bonita@ districtsix.co.za or 021 466 7200), or Lorenzo Davids (ldavids@comchest.org.za or 021 487 1500).