The Democratic Alliance (DA) has declared foreign donations totalling R2 405 387.72 for the fourth quarter of 2021/22, which makes up a whopping 95% of all donations received by the party during this time.

South Africa’s Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) issued the party funding fourth-quarter Disclosure Report for the financial year 2021/22, covering all qualifying donations declared by political parties for the three-month period between January and March 2022.

The IEC confirmed on Monday that all foreign donations declared by the DA were fully compliant with the Party Funding Act, as they fell within the R5-million ceiling per donor.

The DA’s total donation declaration was R2 525 387.72, with R 786 152.81 being declared as an in-kind donation from the German Friedrich Naumann Foundation, which also donated R1 713 250.80 to the party.

The Danish Liberal Democracy Programme was also declared as a DA donor, with R692 136.92 in donations to the party.

“Considering that each of these foreign donors have made repeated donations to one political party, i.e., the DA, the Commission has found it necessary to consider the cumulative value of all donations over the financial year under review. The Commission can, therefore, confirm that all the foreign donations declared by the DA were fully compliant with the Act in that they fall within the R5-million ceiling per donor. Furthermore, the donated funds were utilised for activities falling within the ambit of the law, namely policy development, and training and skills development of members of the political party,” the IEC said.

Only two political parties declared donations in this quarter, a first.

The African National Congress made a declaration of R10-million.

IEC chief electoral officer Sy Mamabolo noted that the total value of all party donations was below R30-million, the least amount declared in a quarter.

He attributed this to the end of the election cycle, noting that the more imminent the elections, the more likely that parties would receive significant donations.

Funds from the private sector are distributed by the IEC, through the Multi-Party Democracy Fund (MPDF), to political parties represented in the National Assembly or in any provincial legislature.

The IEC urges corporates and ordinary citizens to donate to the MPDF to support multi-party democracy.

ASSISTANCE TO POLITICAL PARTIES 

The IEC is also urging political parties to ensure that they submit audited annual financial statements to the Commission by September 30.

The IEC is currently on a national roadshow to provide registered political parties with training on the preparation and submission of audited financial statements.

Through this, the Commission hopes to increase the extent of compliance with the party funding prescripts.