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The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has released its 2024/25 Annual Political Funding Report. 

The annual report provides the fullest publicly available picture of how politics is funded in South Africa. It brings together information on public and all forms of private income, for represented and unrepresented political parties, party expenditure and compliance with financial-reporting obligations. 

Although the report covers a past financial year, the patterns, gaps and questions it reveals remain highly relevant - particularly as South Africa approaches the 2026 Local Government Elections. 

Last year, My Vote Counts (MVC) published an analysis of the IEC’s 2023/24 report. That analysis examined the distribution and concentration of political funding, the sources of parties’ income, and compliance with the Political Funding Act. Our analysis also highlighted loopholes in the law that contribute to continued secrecy in political funding and the potential for undue influence to be exerted in our politics.  

MVC is studying the new report and will publish a comprehensive analysis once that work is complete. 

We encourage journalists, academics, civil society organisations, community formations and members of the public to engage with the report. Understanding how political parties are funded is essential to understanding where political power lies, how evenly parties are able to compete and whose interests may influence our democracy.   

Want to keep following the money? MVC’s Whose Vote Counts tool lets you explore political donations and the funding patterns shaping South African politics. 

Issued by My Vote Counts