Africa-Press – South-Africa. Finance minister Enoch Godongwana is proposing political parties be fully funded by public money, arguing reliance on private donors undermines accountability.
Speaking at the Electoral Commission of SA’s (IEC) inaugural symposium on political funding on Thursday, he said: “In my view, political parties must be fully publicly funded. Political funding for political parties from the public purse carries with it obligations — there’s going to be accountability and transparency. The auditor-general must be able to audit for that accountability.”
Godongwana said there is need for a funding regime that ensures stability, transparency and participation. However, he cautioned that economic challenges and reduced revenue collection could limit the creation of a common public funding pool.
“Between the 2011/12 financial year to date, we’ve only given R3bn to political parties,” a figure he cited to highlight underfunding of parties.
He also questioned the IEC’s role in overseeing political funding, asking, “Are we not putting the IEC in a position of a conflict?”
Listen to the minister:
Godongwana’s call for public party funding comes as the country grapples with fiscal strain. In recent months, he tabled a budget proposing a VAT increase to address a revenue shortfall but faced backlash for straining taxpayers already battling with a cost-of-living crisis.
The symposium was themed “Sustaining Multiparty Democracy through Enhancing Political Funding Regulation in South Africa”. It brought together political party representatives, parliamentarians, academics, civil society, media, business leaders and international organisations to discuss the future of political funding and its role in fostering an inclusive multiparty democracy.
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