Fund democracy, Gwen Ramokgopa tells corporate SA

ANC treasurer-general Gwen Ramokgopa has pleaded with corporate South Africa to dig deeper to fund the country's political parties.

If business is uncomfortable with funding the ANC directly, she said, it can direct money to the Electoral Commission of South Africa's political party funding kitty. This benefits all organisations represented in parliament and assists in advancing democracy, which benefits business.

“The IEC has two funds. One comes through the public sector and is distributed equitably and proportionally. Then there is a separate fund that was established to motivate corporate South Africa to contribute. So if you don’t want to fund a specific political party, that is the one, and resources are distributed proportionally. Obviously we would prefer you fund us directly and we account and use the funds prudently and efficiently,” said Ramokgopa.

“Moving forward, democracy is freedom that we must cherish and guard jealously. Democracy needs to be managed. We encourage the corporate sector to continue looking at that.”

In a move to further woo potential donors, Ramokgopa hosted an unusual pre-state of the nation address (Sona) gala dinner for the financially constrained ANC at the Taj Hotel in Cape Town on Wednesday. Traditionally, the event takes place after Sona.

Ramokgopa presented the ANC as an organisation that is not on its knees with a begging bowl, but rather a political party that is part and parcel of the country’s democratic project.

Since taking office in December last year, Ramokgopa seems to have found it less difficult to raise funds for the ailing party that has, on several occasions, failed to pay Luthuli House staff on time.

She gives the impression she has everything under control, despite a bloated monthly salary bill of R16m, down from R18m since last year.

She told the mostly business-sector attendees that the ANC was aware they parted with huge sums of money for the Mining Indaba in Cape Town and as such were not expected to dig further into their pockets to attend the dinner.

However, Ramokgopa drove home the point that big business has a role to play in democracy by ensuring political parties survive.

“I really hope corporate SA will understand that part of being responsible corporate citizens is to support political party work as part of supporting the democratic system.

“That multiparty fund was established for the IEC to manage and motivate corporate South Africa to contribute. Again, the rules are that if you don’t want to fund a specific political party, you fund democracy as a vehicle.”

Ramokgopa also boasted about the turnaround she has effected on the ANC’s bank account, saying nonpayment of staff is now a thing of the past.

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