The Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) noted that the more than R58-million in declarations that were made by political parties is significantly higher for the reporting period compared with previous quarters.

Four political parties – ActionSA, the African National Congress (ANC), the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the newly registered Build One South Africa (Bosa) – made funding declarations during the first quarter of the 2023/24 financial year.

The IEC presented the Political Party Funding Disclosure Report for the period of April 1, 2023 to June 30, 2023. The report is the ninth since the Party Funding Act came into operation and shows the second-highest amount declared since implementation.

The highest declared donation of more than R22-million was made to the DA. R15-million was received from an entity known as Fynbos Ekwiteit, which has made significant donations to the DA  in the last two financial years.

The DA’s two other significant donations included R5-million from Main Street 1564 and R2-million donated by a Mr G Ryan.

The ANC had the second-highest declaration of R20-million. The IEC highlighted that R15-million was received from the Batho Batho Trust, while R5-million was received from Chancellor House Trust. The IEC noted that these entities are regular donors to the party.

ActionSA made a declarations of more than R12-million. R7.2-million was donated by Victoria Freudenheim, who has previously made a significant donation to the party. The IEC explained that R2-million each was received from an entity known as Solomon David Group and from party leader Herman Mashaba.

Another regular donor to the party made a notable donation of R700 000 during this reporting quarter.

OTHER DONATIONS

Bosa received its only declared donation of R2-million from Martin Paul Moshal.

Meanwhile, the IEC reported that R1.3-million in late declarations was reported by Bosa, and they relate to the third and fourth quarters of the 2022/23 financial year.

The three donations were received from individuals, Hlumelo Biko, who donated R200 000, R100 000 from Robert B Hersov and RTH Investments donated R1-million.

The donation by Biko, previously reported as the chief executive of the party, was made in December 2022 and should have been declared in January 2023. 

The other two donations were received in January and March 2023, and should have been declared in April 2023, said the IEC.

More than R200 000 in foreign donations were made to the DA, from the party’s regular donor, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation.

The donation went towards the party’s training workshops.