Abstract

NGOs are increasingly recognised as an important role-player in community or people-centred development. They are a large category of structures responsible for development. NGOs have often been viewed as important for democracy because of their strong support at grassroots level and their capacity to develop and empower poor communities. They are extremely important mechanisms in rural development and they enjoy the goodwill and acceptance of the community. Therefore NGOs have become very important players in the field of social development and upliftment. The democratisation of South Africa has opened new opportunities for NGOs to make a meaningful contribution to the development of South African society. This is particularly so at grassroots level. The primary aim of NGOs is to improve the living conditions of people through development in general. This entails various aspects of human life, such as literacy, human dignity, justice and economic ability, essentially the joy of life. This paper attempts to address questions such as what is meant by development, what role have NGOs previously played in the development process, and lastly what role should they be playing.