The Adult Learning Forum (ALF) in South Africa exemplifies the vital role that civil society organisations (CSOs) play in adult education. Established in 2001, ALF has consistently championed adult learning within the post-apartheid context, building on a rich history of struggles against colonialism, oppression, and exclusion. Historically, progressive CSOs integrated adult education into political struggles, challenging the apartheid state’s ideology and mobilising communities for liberation. During South Africa’s democratic transition, these organisations were instrumental in shaping policies, programmes, and campaigns that expanded access to adult education. Their work illustrates a long-standing pattern: CSOs have actively resisted policy marginalisation, promoted the right to education, fostered participatory pedagogies, and linked community learning to broader struggles. Yet, the role of CSOs remains dynamic, continually shaped - and at times contested - by changing political, economic, and policy contexts.