There is still time – just – for South African NPOs to register for verification and rating by this game changing and world-first initiative and thereby qualify to enter any (or all) of the iZinga Assist Award categories – entries close on 26th September 2025. 

Having spent over three decades working (and volunteering) in the non-profit sector, I think carefully before taking on another directorship or voluntary role. I have seen so much over the years: the great, the good and the not so good. . . However, when, during COVID-19, two dynamic and committed global South Africans, Derek Lubner and Henk Swanepoel, shared their concerns with me about the resistance that they were encountering among UK, USA (and South African) donors to give to SA organisations, given the corruption in government, business, among individuals and, sadly, even within the NPO sector, I actively engaged.

Some people spent lockdown making sourdough bread, while others did jigsaw puzzles. We anguished over people’s resistance to donate to the Mzansi non-profit sector due to constant global headlines about fraud, (and aggravated by South Africa’s Grey-listing in 2023), determined to find a solution. 

These discussions gave birth to iZinga Assist (www.izassist.org), a free platform that assesses, rates and verifies legal, financial and governance compliance of not-for-profit organisations. Even the vital area of impact made (with donors’ money) is evaluated. This unprecedented level of NPO assessment and verification, a first in the country, is available to registered non-profits at no charge.

By donating to verified organisations via the platform, donors will have the peace of mind enabled by iZinga Assist’s unparalleled transparency and accountability. NPOs are rated for both donors’ confidence and to reassure staff and board members that their entity is ‘squeaky clean’. This platform leverages cutting edge technology to verify NPOs’ authenticity, and the pilot phase of ‘onboarding’ South African organisations has just been completed (and will roll out to SADC countries in time). 

The ’donor journey’ is in progress as I write this. Developing, evolving and refining iZinga Assist, itself a non-profit, has been a huge task over the last five years, and it’s an honour to have been part of the process, and to be collaborating with so many amazing and committed people – a testimony to Derek and Henk’s leadership. 

The organisation will be formally launched in Cape Town in October. Among the exciting plans are the inaugural iZinga Assist Awards, only open to NPOs that have been verified and rated on the iZinga Assist platform. These accolades come with immense kudos, media coverage and R25,000 to the winners in each of five categories.

There is still time – just – for South African NPOs to register for verification and rating by this game changing and world-first initiative and thereby qualify to enter any (or all) of the iZinga Assist Award categories – entries close on 26th September 2025. 

 For information on registering for verification and rating, email Adel Burger: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.