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Evaluation of the relationship between the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung in South Africa and its recipients : 2006-2011

M.A. (Public Management and Governance) / The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS), a German political foundation, opened its office in South Africa in 1982. Political foundations assist in strengthening democracy and the promotion of good governance through funding democracy promotion activities in developing countries. The relationship between donors and recipients of funding is a complex one. Recipients depend on donors for funding and thus in most instances it seems that they take orders from donors and that they may compromise their own ideas/projects and implement what the donor prefers. Donors are also frequently blamed for tying aid to conditionality, thus putting recipients in the difficult position of trying to please the donor even though they have a better knowledge of what their countries or people need. Despite also experiencing some of the abovementioned issues, the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung refers to the relationship with its recipients as a partnership. KAS refers to the recipients of funding as partners because KAS works together with its partners to ensure that the projects succeed. In very exceptional cases, where KAS head office has partnership contracts with recipients, funds for such organizations are disbursed at the start of the project, upon receipt of a budget. Even in such cases, KAS still has continuous engagement to see that funds are used as stipulated in the contract and budget. However, with the majority of recipients the funding model operates in two ways: recipients may send invoices to KAS and the latter pays the service providers directly, or the recipients may pay the service providers and submit invoices and proof of payment to KAS for reimbursement when financial reporting is completed at the end of the project. KAS does not dictate terms to recipients. Instead they both work together to ensure that the project succeeds. The research investigated the relationship between KAS and its recipients. The sample in this study comprises selected recipients of KAS funding in South Africa during the period 2006-2011. KAS does not fund all projects of the selected recipients; they have other donors as well. The primary issue with which all of them are dissatisfied is the lack of institutional funding from KAS specifically, but also from donors in general. The issue of funding being made available for projects only is creating difficulties for recipients because they have to source funds for other costs e.g. salaries.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:uj/uj:11239
Date29 May 2014
CreatorsMsibi, Nancy Matjie
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis
RightsUniversity of Johannesburg

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