ActionSA received largest sum in party donations — Here's how much the ANC and DA got

ActionSA has declared the most donations for the fourth quarter of the 2022/2023 financial year, declaring more than R3m. 

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) said three parties disclosed more than R5m in funding from donors during the fourth quarter — January 1 to March 31.

“In the fourth quarter of the 2022/2023 financial year, three political parties made declarations amounting to R5,985,983.83. Of this amount, a donation of R496,880.00 is a late declaration made and received during the third quarter,” said the IEC. 

How much did each party receive?

• ActionSA, an unrepresented party, received R3,730,000 in donations;
• the ANC declared R1,996,880; and
• the DA disclosed R259,103.83.

Who donated?

ActionSA’s donations were received from three donors, all of which are individual rather than corporate.

“The individual donors are Dr BB Mabizela (R105,000), Chris Du Toit (R125,000) and Martin Moshal (R3.5m). Moshal is a repeat donor to ActionSA who has previously made donations valued at R11m.”

The ANC’s donations were received from two entities — the Ichikowitz Family Foundation (R1.5m) and the Education and Training Unit for Democracy and Development (ETU) (R496,880). 

“The former is a Johannesburg-based entity founded in 2010 and the latter is an NPO that offers training, facilitation, materials development and strategic planning services. ETU’s donation was an in-kind donation in the form of payment to printers towards the cost of 10,000 copies of the ANC national policy conference discussion documents,” the IEC said.

The DA received an in-kind donation valued at R139,103.83 from the Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNF) and a monetary donation of R120,000 from Polyoak Packaging. Both are repeat donors. 

Foreign donations

The only foreign donation made was to the DA by FNF. Before this donation, the foundation donated R2,787,041.03 to the DA in this financial year. 

The aggregate value of foreign donations made by the FNF to the DA is R2,926,144.86.

Late declarations

The ANC submitted a late declaration valued at R496,880. 

“This donation was received by the party during the third quarter and should have been declared in the third quarter for publication.

“The party has been issued with a direction in terms of the Political Party Funding Act requesting written reasons why the declaration was submitted later than the regulated deadline,” said the IEC. 

Noncompliance with the provisions 

The commission said it was withholding quarterly disbursements to three political parties because of noncompliance with the requirements of the act. 

“These withheld disbursements relate to funding from the represented political parties fund and the multiparty democracy fund. The affected parties are the African Independent Congress (R6,946,664,51), the National Freedom Party (R6,038,810,45) and COPE (R2,237,599,76). The commission has in its coffers R15,223,075 withheld from these parties,” it said.

“The primary reason for withholding funding is these parties have not submitted financial statements as required by law. The prescripts provide for the forfeiture of such funds only after the end of the political term of office, particularly if a party fails to retain or gain any seats in either the provincial or national legislature.”

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