Partners in South Africa

The Democratic Alliance (DA) is a member party of Liberal International and the political partner of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation in South Africa. The Democratic Alliance is the official opposition in South Africa’s national parliament having achieved 16, 66% of the vote in the most recent national elections in 2009. Since the 2009 provincial elections, the DA governs the Western Cape Province, where they won an outright majority (51, 46% of the vote). The party is represented in all of South Africa’s nine provincial legislatures and in the majority of South Africa’s municipalities.

The Foundation works closely with the national parliamentary caucus of the party, and with the provincial parliamentarians through the DA Members of Provincial Legislatures’ Network (DA MPL Network). In the local government sphere the Foundation works with the party’s councillors through the Association of Democratic Alliance Councillors (ADAC) which has been one of the Foundation’s most successful partners in South Africa. The Foundation also works with women in the party through the DA Women’s Network and with the party’s younger members through the DA Youth on an ad hoc basis.

The Association of Democratic Alliance Councillors' (ADAC) objective is the promotion of the vision, core principles and ideals of the Democratic Alliance in local government. It is one of the Foundation’s most active political partners in South Africa. ADAC offers its members a dedicated support service focused on local government issues, so as to ensure efficient and cost-effective governance for all residents of South Africa’s 283 municipalities.

The organisation focuses on capacity building for DA councillors, sharing ideas and information between councillors, communicating between councillors and other spheres of the DA, local government policy development; focused research on local government topics, advocacy support on local government issues and councillor concerns. Through its website the organisation has built a databank and resource base for its members on local government issues and legislation that is not found anywhere else in the country. ADAC also provides members of the public with a convenient information source on DA local government policy.

The Centre for Development and Enterprise (CDE) is an independent policy research and advocacy organisation. It is one of South Africa's leading development think tanks, focusing on critical national development issues and their relationship to economic growth and democratic consolidation. Through examining South African realities and international experience, the CDE formulates practical policy proposals outlining ways in which South Africa can tackle major social and economic challenges. CDE has a special focus on the role of business and markets in development.

The Helen Suzman Foundation(HSF) believes that a free society is the best guarontor of good governance, stability, economic growth and human development.

The mission of the Helen Suzman Foundation is to defend the values that underpin our liberal constitutional democracy and to promote respect for human rights. The work of the Foundation will be driven by the principles that were exemplified throughout Helen Suzman’s public life, and to this end a research profile will be developed that will focus on public service in all its constituent parts.

The South African Institute of Race Relations (SAIRR) is the leading independent research and policy organization in South Africa. Established in 1929 the Institute has a proud record of conducting and publishing cutting edge research and policy critiques. The Institute publishes widely on education, the economy, business, employment, crime, demographics, health, welfare, and politics. The bulk of the material published is based on hard factual data and not on the personal opinions of the authors. In doing so the Institute considers a uniquely wide spectrum of the factors that contribute to the current state of South Africa. The factual foundation of SAIRR work allows the Institute to deliver informed comment about government policy proposals and legislation. Failed policy can be flagged and amendments proposed while successful policy can be supported against ill informed criticism. The Institute today therefore plays a dual role - both tangible and intangible. We provide the best data and analysis on almost every area of South Africa’s development. We in turn use that expertise as a foundation upon which to campaign for South Africa’s success.

The Small Business Project (SBP), is an independent private sector development and research company. SBP is a not for profit company specialising in improving the environment for doing business. We have worked in Africa and internationally since 1998 providing innovative solutions for policy formulation, better regulation and development in emerging markets. We have a special interest in small business as vehicles for growth and job creation.

SBP's work is widely recognized for its quality, relevance and impact.

The Free Market Foundation (FMF) is an independent policy research and education organisation founded in 1975 to promote the principles of limited government, economic freedom and individual liberty. Funding is received from members (corporate, organisational and individual), sponsorships and the sale of publications. Training and entrepreneurship development is provided in cooperation with the Foundation for Economic and Business Development.