Mining magnate Brett Kebble said yesterday he believed that by "giving financial assistance for the development of democracy, he was performing a public duty and would continue to do so throughout his career".

Kebble was responding to media enquiries regarding the financial support he had given to the ANC.

This follows a report in the Sunday Times newspaper that Kebble was one of the mystery donors who helped to pump at least R500 000 into the coffers of the cash-strapped ANC in the Western Cape.

The party received R250 000 on January 14 from Kebble and empowerment groups associated with the mining house JCI, the report stated.

Another R250 000 was donated on January 9 by one of Kebble's business associates, Lunga Ncwana, who sits on the board of Randgold & Exploration, a company in the JCI stable.

Kebble said in a statement on Sunday: "I am a patriot and an ardent supporter of our new democracy.

"Whilst I am a member of the African National Congress and support its policies, I will also support any political party that upholds patriotic and democratic principles".

Kebble said it was up to those parties that he had supported if they wanted to make his donations public, but he had no wish for secrecy.

"If they decide to publicly acknowledge my support, they have my blessing to do so".

The article mentioned that the cash injection rescued ANC officials who found themselves without office telephones or electricity.

Western Cape ANC chairperson Ebrahim Rasool said his office was in a crisis when it was unable to pay rent and the electricity was disconnected.

"We had a conference - myself, the provincial treasurer and the secretary-general - to find a way of raising emergency money.

Our first port of call was the black empowerment companies known in the Western Cape," Rasool said.

The ANC then received about R250 000 to help settle administrative debts in the region, he said.

The donations come amid a campaign spearheaded by Idasa to make political parties disclose the identity of funders.

There are no laws regulating the private funding of political parties in South Africa, according to Idasa's Judith February.

"Political parties can collect money in secret and people voting for them don't know where it comes from. This does not mean all private money is corrupt, but it opens up the possibility of corruption and accountability by political parties to big business or other interests," February said. – Sapa.