My Vote Counts launches online tool to track private political party donations ahead of elections

My Vote Counts has launched an online tool aimed at tracking private donations to political parties ahead of next year's elections. 

The Political Party Funding Act (PPFA), introduced in 2021, states parties must disclose private donations of more than R100,000. The tool will help identify donors.

“Since 2021, the PPFA has forced political parties to disclose receiving more than R278m from private donors. But who are these donors? What are the sources of their funds? What are their business interests?” asked My Vote Counts.

“How could they be using their money to influence government decisions, undermining the voices of the rest of us? How does the toxic relationship between money and politics determine who has a say? 

“The tool covers donations made in kind and monetary donations worth over R100,000 over the last two financial years. The data includes who donors are, what they do and through which channels they fund parties. This doesn't include gala dinners and dinner tickets etc.”

According to My Vote Counts spokesperson Sheilan Clarke, the tool will help the public trace the source of such donations. 

“Having private financial transparency in our political parties is important so we can see where the money comes from. We can see where political parties' interests lie. Not all funding will raise red flags because political parties need money to go about their business. We need to see these red flags, especially going into the 2024 elections,” she said. 

South Africans have until August 27 to comment on regulations supporting the Electoral Amendment Act, which will see a new framework for the participation of independent candidates in national and provincial elections. 

The Electoral Commission (IEC) published myriad draft regulations for public comment. This is a sequel to the promulgation of the Electoral Amendment Act, which includes a new framework for the participation of independent candidates in these elections.

There are six published draft regulations: 

• the amendment to the election's regulations;
• the amendment to the voter registration regulations;
• the amendment to the regulations relating to activities permissible outside voting stations on voting day;
• the amendment to the regulations for the registration of political parties;
• the amendment to regulations on party liaison committees; and
• the amendment to the regulation concerning submissions of candidates. 

To comment on proposals in the drafts, e-mail deposits@elections.org.za