The South African Congress for ECD (SACECD) is the representative national mass-based, not-for-profit early childhood development (ECD) organisation in South Africa. 

The organization represents the interests of over 6 million young children (birth to six years old), ECD workers and the ECD sector in general.The organization operates out of a national office based in Pretoria and is represented by Provincial Executive Committee's (PECs) in all nine provinces.The organisation was launched at a national conference during 23-25 March 1994 in Port Elizabeth. It is governed by a National Executive Committee that comprises seven office bearers who are elected at a general meeting held every second year. The office bearers appoint a Chief Executive Officer who manages a staff. 

This historic launch was a result of a four-year long process of intensive organizing, mobilising and unifying of the ECD sector. As a result, the two national organizations representing the ECD sector (viz. The National Interim Working Committees (NIWC) on ECD and the South African Association for Early Childhood Educare (SAAECE) dissolved in favor of the united SA Congress for ECD.

The launching conference was one of the most representative ever held, with the participation of over 350 delegates from all over South Africa.The birth of the South African Congress for ECD was in itself part of the broad thrust for democratic transformation and reconstruction of the South African Society. In the Sector now known to be the early childhood development sector, the birth of the SA Congress for ECD signalled the initiation of an institution of a new type, within a Sector mission and mandate to "unite, mobilise, organise and democratise.