Helen Zille on funding act: ANC will 'destroy' legitimate fundraising of opposition
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Image: Esa Alexander
The ANC is nonchalant about the Political Party Funding Act because it will still get all the funds it needs.
This is according to the DA's federal council chairperson Helen Zille, who reacted to recent allegations at the state capture inquiry.
Last week, the inquiry heard that the State Security Agency (SSA) and its financial resources were allegedly used to benefit the governing ANC against other political parties during election contests that took place during the Jacob Zuma administration from 2009 to 2018.
A witness, only identified as Ms K for her safety, stated that the SSA's former boss Arthur Fraser’s office also allegedly withdrew R19m in cash for the ANC national conference in December 2017.
She said out of the R19m, R5m was paid to a person identified in a handwritten note as “kingmaker”.
Other witnesses who followed with similar testimony about SSA, included chair of the high-level review panel into the SSA Sydney Mufamadi, SSA acting director-general Loyiso Jafta and another witness, the unidentified Mr Y, whose affidavit was read out.
However, Fraser denied the allegations and has laid a criminal charge of perjury against Mufamadi, Jafta, Ms K, Mr Y and commission advocate Paul Pretorius SC, TimesLIVE reported on Monday.
Reacting to the allegations, Zille said the ANC was destroying “the legitimate fundraising of the opposition”.
Reading Zondo evidence, it has now dawned on me why the ANC is nonchalant about the Party Political Funding Act. They will still get all the funds they need, channelled via the State Security Agency's slush funds, while they destroy the legitimate fundraising of the opposition.
— Helen Zille (@helenzille) January 28, 2021
Zille said the ANC's abuse of power and alleged theft was “jaw-dropping”.
“The ANC has a direct funding line through the SSA slush funds, while the Political Party Funding Act will destroy the opposition's legitimate fundraising operations,” she said.
Just reading the full transcript of Dr Mufamadi"s evidence. The power abuse and theft are jaw-dropping. The ANC has a direct funding line through the SSA slush funds, while the Political Party Funding Act will destroy the opposition's legitimate fundraising operations.
— Helen Zille (@helenzille) January 29, 2021
Zille's comment's drew mixed reactions, with many questioning her statement.
Here is a snapshot of some of the reactions:
Because almost every donor or potential donor - all the big ones at least - rely to a degree on contracts with government, or hope to secure these in future. Many will stop donating to the opposition if this transparency would compromise their government business.
— Jacques Maree (@JacquesMaree73) January 29, 2021
It's the clandestine funding that the ANC never discloses that's the problem.
— Monday Flyhalf (@monday_flyhalf) January 29, 2021
Well, I am not a politician, doesn't belong to any political party but if I have to declare my companies funding of an opposition political party I suspect my company will not be able to do any business with the government in future.
— Daniel (@sekgari) January 29, 2021
"The Act prohibits donations to parties by foreign governments or agencies, foreign persons or entities, organs of state or state-owned enterprises." So in theory, the SIU can't be used for such?
— DanielVorsterFx (@FxVorster) January 29, 2021
The supposed worry is that the ANC government will discriminate against again corporate supporting the DA financially.
— Hein de Jager (@HeindeJager2) January 29, 2021
Make of it what you want.
If I had my way, only natural persons should be allowed to donate to political parties, with every cent disclosed.
— Hein de Jager (@HeindeJager2) January 29, 2021
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