Structure and Positioning
IFAISA is an independent non-party political institution registered as a charitable non profit trust in South Africa and is based in Cape Town with a branch office in Johannesburg planned for the future. It plans a presence, through its country representatives, in each country in the region. It is funded by a wide spectrum of donors who have an interest in achieving proper accountability in the region. All donations are fully tax deductible. If preferred, donations can be made via a blind trust.
The personnel of IFAISA consists of a core of full time professionals who are appropriately qualified and experienced to carry out the activities and fulfill the mission described on our home page. Their activities are supplemented by the input of "fellows" and associates of the institute who are academics and professionals in the region as well as other non-governmental organizations who identify with the need for improving accountability and with the unique role which IFAISA is able to play in realizing the achievement of peace, prosperity and progress in the region. These fellows and associates are prepared to give of their time and talents to assist IFAISA with its work.
The board of the IFAISA trust comprises a cross section of eminent persons who reside in or are citizens of countries in the region. It meets twice a year and is responsible for the policy and programs of IFAISA.
IFAISA co-operates and networks with organizations operating in the region which are involved in activities which dovetail with its mission and activities.
The underlying intention behind the formation of IFAISA is to promote peace, prosperity and progress for all in the region through the application of the rule of law, the realization of the aspirations of the people of the region and the upholding of the values expressed in the constitutions in the countries which make up the region. This is best achieved by measuring responsiveness to the needs of the people, correcting short-comings and holding those responsible for good governance to account for what they do or fail to do.
The creation of IFAISA is intended to fill an existing gap in the NGO sector by providing a vehicle for the vigorous advocacy of a truly accountable and responsive order in South, and ultimately Southern Africa. Exacting accountability implies doing whatever is necessary to hold those in authority to account legally, civically and through objective scientific analysis and monitoring of issues which present the challenges of the day. This requires rigorous constructive engagement on the issues and sometimes involves resort to "lawfare" in extreme cases in which public interest litigation is the only viable or sustainable option left. Both conduct and systems will be scrutinized to exact accountability: this involves an examination of the constitutionality, rationality and legality of both. As accountability encompasses generic components an IFAISA 'audit' of these components is possible to help correct that which is dysfunctional, leading to policies (the why component), strategies (the what), tactics (the how), processes (the who and where) procedures (specific rules), practices and their elements that, taken together and implemented properly, produce conduct and systems which function accountably.
