Between October and December 2021, 11 political parties received a total of R46 036 589.97 in party funding, according to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) in its quarterly disclosure report.

The African National Congress (ANC) received the largest donation – R22 803 969. The party also received the single largest donation of R15-million from the Batho Batho Trust.  

For the first time since the Political Party Funding Act was implemented in April 2021, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have declared donations, totalling R3 148 176.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) and ActionSA have both declared donations from foreign sources.

The DA declared donations totalling R12 519 623.47.

Of that, R840 191.47 is a foreign donation from the Friedrich Naumann Foundation, in Germany.

ActionSA, which is not represented in Parliament, declared a total of R5 072 348.50 in donations. German political party foundation the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung donated R530 000 to the party.

ActionSA also received R4 922 348.50 of in-kind donations, R4 212 340.50 of which was made in the form of personal protective equipment.

Other disclosures include R787 588 donated to the Inkatha Freedom Party, R484 438 to the Freedom Front Plus, R340 447 to the GOOD party and R200 000 to the African Transformation Movement.

Donations to parties not represented in Parliament included donations of R430 000 to the Patriotic Alliance, R150 000 to the Shosholoza Progressive Party and R100 000 to the Abantu Integrity Movement.

The IEC noted that 11 declarations in the third quarter is a marked uptick from the three and six made respectively in the first and second quarters.  

It further noted that the ANC, DA and ActionSA have been the most consistent in declaring since the Act was instituted.

“The number of declarations has shown a noticeable increase in the third quarter. The Commission believes that this is partly a reflection of an improved understanding and wider acceptance of the Act and the need for greater transparency with regard to political party funding. While the Commission would like to see this trend continuing, it is important to recognise that this period coincided with an election period, i.e. the 2021 local government elections. There seems to be a positive correlation between the number and size of donations on one hand, and the election period on the other,” the IEC said.

It stressed that should it receive credible information of nondisclosure of donations from any party, it will investigate.