A clean bill of health is not a reality for many of South Africa’s 295,052 registered NPOs. As of early 2025, over 41,000 received non-compliance notices from the Department of Social Development, and 6,221 were deregistered. Alarmingly, more than 203,000 NPOs have failed to submit annual reports, putting their legal status—and funding—at risk.
The impact of such failures is significant: when NPOs lose funding or credibility, the vulnerable communities they serve are directly affected. In contrast, NPOs that uphold strong governance principles continue to thrive and deliver impact—such as The Domino Foundation, based in eThekwini.
Operating across seven “Cradle to Career” programmes, Domino reaches over 10,000 beneficiaries—from abandoned babies to youth entering the job market. This reach is enabled by a deep commitment to financial stewardship, transparency, and board-level accountability.
Foundation Chairman Mickey Wilkins emphasized the board's role in navigating structural change, empowering team leadership, and driving accountability. CFO Gavin Simpkins pointed to monthly financial reviews and clear audit preparation as core to maintaining trust with donors and partners.
Domino’s Research & Evaluation (R&E) team, led by Dr. Amanda Cox, plays a key role in tracking programme impact. Recent beneficiary surveys have helped the organisation shift from simply counting numbers to demonstrating value added—critical in showing return on donor investment. These insights have reshaped key programmes, such as early childhood partnerships, introducing performance-based, time-bound agreements.
CEO Steve van der Merwe highlighted how governance has directly enabled stronger collaboration, deeper partnerships, and increased accountability. New leadership roles in Operations, Justice, Education, and Nutrition further integrate the community centred work across these sectors.
Ultimately, good governance is not optional—it’s foundational. For NPOs to earn the trust of communities and funders alike, they must be responsible stewards of the resources entrusted to them.
As President Harry Truman once said: "The buck stops here."
