LEGACY NPO SYSTEM TO BE SWITCHED OFF ON 15 OCTOBER 2026 AS DSD COMPLETES MOVE TO DIGITAL PLATFORM

By DSD News

• The Department of Social Development (DSD) will discontinue its legacy NPO registration and reporting system on Thursday, 15 October 2026. All NPO transactions will move to the new NPO Registration and Compliance Monitoring Online System.
• Registered NPOs are urged to create their profiles on the new system and verify their organisational information before the deadline. The department will no longer accept manually submitted documents at any of its offices.
• The department says NPO records and personal information are protected during the migration, and warns organisations to watch out for scammers trying to exploit the transition.

The Department of Social Development (DSD) has announced that its legacy Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) registration and reporting system will be discontinued on Thursday, 15 October 2026, completing the department’s move to a single, integrated digital platform.
The department said the change forms part of its ongoing digital transformation programme. The programme aims to modernise NPO registration, strengthen compliance monitoring and improve service delivery.

From two systems to one

The department introduced the new NPO Registration and Compliance Monitoring Online System on 1 September 2025. It chose a three-phased implementation approach to keep services running and limit disruptions during the transition.
The first phase, which focused on the electronic submission and processing of new NPO registration applications, was implemented successfully. However, technical challenges meant the legacy system had to keep running alongside the new platform, mainly for annual compliance reports and requests to update organisational information.

According to the department, running the two systems at the same time affected data synchronisation and migration. As a result, some organisations struggled to access their records on the new platform. The department said it has since put measures in place to resolve these technical challenges.

From 15 October 2026, the legacy system will no longer process NPO transactions. Organisations that try to access it will be redirected to the new online platform, where they will need to create or access their profiles to do business electronically.

What the new system offers

The department described the new system as a significant step towards more efficient, accessible, transparent and accountable NPO regulatory services. Its automated business processes are expected to reduce administrative delays, improve turnaround times and allow NPOs to access services remotely, without visiting departmental offices.
Through the new system, NPOs can:
•⁠ ⁠submit new registration applications electronically;
•⁠ ⁠submit annual compliance reports and other statutory documents;
•⁠ ⁠update organisational contact details, office bearers and founding documents;
•⁠ ⁠access organisational profiles, registration certificates and compliance correspondence;
•⁠ ⁠track applications and requests submitted to the department;
•⁠ ⁠use an online education and awareness library on NPO registration and compliance requirements; and
•⁠ ⁠access services on mobile devices, including through a dedicated mobile application available on major app stores.

The system is also designed to support information verification and integration with other government institutions, including the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC), the South African Revenue Service (SARS) and the Department of Home Affairs.

In addition, it is intended to improve information sharing with funding institutions, such as DSD funding programmes and the National Lotteries Commission (NLC), subject to applicable legislative and technical requirements.

The department said these developments will strengthen its capacity to administer the Nonprofit Organisations Act, 1997 (Act No. 71 of 1997), as amended by the General Laws (Anti-Money Laundering and Combating Terrorism Financing) Amendment Act, 2022 (Act No. 22 of 2022).

Records and personal information protected

The department has assured NPOs that measures are in place to safeguard organisational records and personal information throughout the migration. All personal information will be processed and protected in line with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (POPIA), and other applicable legislation.

NPOs that have difficulty accessing their records are encouraged to remain calm and report the problem through the department’s official support channels. The department stressed that if information is temporarily unavailable on the new platform, this does not necessarily mean that records have been lost or deleted.

Beware of scammers

The department has cautioned NPOs and members of the public to stay alert to scammers who may try to take advantage of the transition.
Organisations are strongly advised to access the system only through official DSD platforms, and never to share passwords, one-time PINs or confidential organisational information with unauthorised people.

Any suspicious communication or request for payment relating to NPO registration, compliance reporting or profile activation should be verified directly with the department through its official communication channels.

Act now

The department has urged all registered NPOs to create their profiles on the new system and verify their organisational information without delay, ahead of the 15 October 2026 deadline.

From that date, NPOs must use the new system for all registration applications, annual compliance reports and requests to update organisational information. Manually submitted documents will not be accepted at any departmental office.

The department said it remains committed to working closely with the NPO sector to ensure a smooth transition and to support organisations experiencing difficulties.
It added that the new system is part of its broader commitment to building a modern, responsive and accountable NPO regulatory environment that supports good governance, enhances compliance and strengthens the contribution of non-profit organisations to South Africa’s social and economic development.