Despite all the shiny new legislation, don’t think that party funding issues have disappeared
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address. You will receive a link to create a new password via email.Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address. You will receive a link to create a new password via email.Relative wealth: Business person Patrice Motsepe, who is also the brother-in-law of President Cyril Ramaphosa, is one of the country’s biggest donors to political parties.
With political opponents of the ANC circling the possible defeat of the ailing giant, the wheeling and dealing of these political parties has never been more important. Organisations such as the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance have for years been raising the alarm on another truth acknowledged, but not acted upon, which is that money in politics can determine the shape of a democracy.
But what is the problem with this? We see the money coming in, so that should be enough, right? Surely seeing is believing and, if not believing, seeing must be knowing. These returns are noble, perhaps even altruistic, but when my R100 donation is stacked up against a R10 million Oppenheimer donation, does my political party weigh these the same way?
In fact, it is our constitutional right to have access to information that might be necessary for the exercising of an informed vote, private funding included. “Money is the tool they use to secure special favours or selfishly manipulate those who are required to serve and treat all citizens equally.”
But even with the PPFA, which is the first legislation of its kind in South Africa, we have not yet managed to exorcise big money in politics. One way to do this is to have access to all donations, not just the ones over the disclosure threshold. Full transparency is the first step in breaking the ties between private influence and politics.
Bear in mind that, if the president’s brother-in-law decided that, in addition to these company donations, he would also like to donate in his personal capacity, he may legally do so. Despite some issues already existing in the law, the political and legislative machinery behind the PPFA delivered another blow to the Act’s efficacy which not even a plot twist from Ms Austen could rival.
Parliament is under no obligation to advise him on what these limits are and, even if they suggested guidelines, he is not obligated to follow them. Lawmakers seem only too comfortable maintaining just a façade of commitment to transparency and accountability. This was evidenced in a report issued by the Information Regulator on compliance with the Promotion of Access to Information Amendment Act, which includes access to private funding information.
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