'ANC is big winner in election funding'

Parliament has allocated R114.8-million to political parties in the run-up to the 2014 elections - but smaller parties are saying that, whatever money they get, it will not be enough to take on the ANC.

The Represented Political Party Fund would be administered by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) between April 1 2013 and March 31 2014. The notice was gazetted on April 5.

IEC spokesman Kate Bapela said the annual allocation was made only to the 14 parties represented in the National Assembly and provincial legislatures.

However, 215 parties have registered to contest next year's election, of which 130 were at national and provincial level, and the remainder at municipal level.

"On the proclamation of the election date by the president, the electoral commission publishes the election timetable, which dates the processes, [including] the cut-off date for the submission of candidate's lists.

"Only when this process has been completed will we know how many political parties are contesting the elections," said Bapela.

According to the IEC's 2011-2012 annual report, the 14 political parties represented in parliament were allocated a total of R104-million. Of this, the ANC received R64.9-million, followed by the DA with R17-million and COPE with R9.7-million.

The African People's Convention and the Azanian People's Organisation received the smallest slice of the pie - R112600 each.

COPE MP Dennis Bloem said the allocation of the funds would place the ANC at a huge advantage.

"[The previous amount we received] was totally not enough. We are the third-largest party and we have a lot of commitments. The ANC is getting the lion's share.

"We view the distribution of this money to be unfair," said Bloem.

Inkatha Freedom Party treasurer-general Nariem Singh said the lack of funds meant smaller parties' campaigns were extremely limited.

"One needs millions. Party representatives can't go everywhere [with the current funding]. It makes [the scope] too narrow and [a party] can't expand," he said.

The DA had expected that it would receive about R19-million of the R115-million.

The party's chairman of federal finance, Deon George, said that it would use additional sources of funding.

"We do not want to put an additional burden on taxpayers. It's not from government, it's the people's money and we use it wisely, we believe.

"We do not support the ANC's call for additional [party] funding from the people," said George.

African Christian Democratic Party MP Steve Swart said the formula for the distribution of funds needed to be re-worked.

"Though we are grateful for those amounts, we don't believe it is sufficient for smaller parties to compete at the election on a level playing field with the ruling party.

"We believe that the formula that is used for allocation of funds should be amended.

"At least it should give all parties a kick-start," he said.

The ANC was not available for comment.