The sound principles of the PEN Charter need to be backed by substantial resources in a polarising world.  We need greater resource to pursue our objective of promoting the interests of Southern African writers.  We need to:
- replace the HSBC/SA PEN Literary Awards in the SADC region.
- upgrade our quarterly pamphlet PEN NEWS in order to stay in closer touch with our members.
- maintain a lively SA PEN web-site, partly for the same purpose
- sign on more members
- consolidate upon a sustainable financial base

In today's competitive world, writers need to work to make their calling sustainable in economic terms so that literature itself is sustainable without calling on grants from government.  Perhaps it is my past experience of arbitrary interference in the arts by goverment, which makes me wary of substantial public funding.  I feel that an autonomous SA PEN should first appeal to private donors in South Africa.  In defending a key principle of its Charter - free expression -  PEN should be a strong global influence

What money we have to encourage literature and to uphold the terms of our Charter comes from the following loyal donors and we are deeply grateful to them:

The Ackerman Family Educational Trust Fund
Anglo American Chairman’s Fund
Business and Arts South Africa
David Graaff Foundation
Joan St Leger Lindbergh Charitable  Trust
Media 24
National Arts Council
The Oppenheimer Memorial Trust
S G Menell Charitable Trust
Western Cape Cultural Commission

Anthony Fleischer - President, SA PEN