Johannesburg - The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) on Tuesday announced that in the third quarter of the 2021/22 financial year, a total of 11 political parties made declarations totalling R46 036 589.97 in terms of section 9 of the Political Party Funding Act.
Out of the total declarations made, four were made by unrepresented and seven by represented parties.
The IEC published the Third Quarter Disclosure Report in terms of the Political Party Funding Act and Regulations on Tuesday.
This included Abantu Integrity Movement (AIM) at R100 000, new kids on the block ActionSA at R5 072 348.50, Patriotic Alliance (PA) at R430 000 and Shosholoza Progressive Party at R150 000.
The represented parties included the ANC at R22 803 969, African Transformation Movement (ATM) at R200 000, DA at R12 519 623.47, EFF at R3 148 176, Freedom Front Plus (FF+) at R484 438, GOOD Party at R340 447 and the IFP at R787 588.
Previously the EFF failed to declare donations, a move that angered other political parties.
IEC spokesperson Kate Bapela said the 11 disclosures represent a notable increase in the number of political parties making declarations in comparison with the first and second quarters.
“In the two preceding quarters, only three and six parties, respectively, made declarations. It is noteworthy that ActionSA, ANC and DA have consistently made declarations over the three quarters,” said Bapela.
She said ActionSA is the party with the largest amount of in-kind donations declared, amounting to R4 922 348.50.
Bapela said of this amount, a total of R4 212 340.50 was made by a single donor in the form of personal protective equipment (PPE) comprising face masks, hand sanitisers and face shields, and that the face masks accounted for the largest proportion of the value of in-kind donations, totalling R3 million.
“The largest amount of a single monetary donation declared is the R15m donated by Batho Batho Trust and declared by the ANC,” Bapela said.
The ANC was cited as the party with the largest value of donations declared amounting to R22 803 969, followed by the DA at R12 519 623.47, ActionSA at R5 072 348.50 and EFF at R3 148 176.
“The rest of the parties declared total donations that fell below R1m,” Bopape said.
She said when the commission makes observations, there is also a pattern of donors making donations to different parties in more or less the same way that the Multi-Party Democracy Fund is intended to operate.
Donors such as Harmony Gold Mining Company, African Rainbow Minerals, South African Breweries (SAB) and 3Sixty Health are among the corporates that made donations to multiple parties.
“Should the commission receive credible information that identifies donations received by any political party that has not been declared, an investigation in terms of the act will ensue,” Bapela said.
ntombi.nkosi@inl.co.za
Political Bureau