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LEGISLATION AND SUBMISSIONS

Swift action needed on party funding bill

By Judith February First published on EWN The recent brouhaha regarding President Cyril Ramaphosa and the so-called ‘Bosasa campaign donation’ has again put the funding of political parties in the spotlight. It started when DA leader Mmusi Maimane asked Ramaphosa about a donation of R500 000 he had allegedly received from Bosasa’s Gavin Watson. This Read more >

LEGISLATION AND SUBMISSIONS

Political party funding to become more transparent

Today the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) handed down judgment in the political party funding-related matter of My Vote Counts (MVC) vs the president of South Africa, the minister of justice, and others. The court ruled that voters have the right to be informed about the sources of the private funding of political parties. In delivering today’s Read more >

LEGISLATION AND SUBMISSIONS

CW makes parly submissions on political party funding

This week Corruption Watch made written submissions to the parliamentary ad hoc committee on the funding of political parties, on the draft Political Party Funding Bill of 2017. We expressed concerns mainly around the continued lack of transparency in the private finding of parties. Transparency in party funding prevents and deters corruption and malfeasance, and Read more >

PRESS RELEASES

CW calls for transparency in political party funding

Corruption Watch, in its oral submission made on Tuesday 15 August to the parliamentary Ad Hoc Committee on the Funding of Political Parties, highlights the importance of ensuring transparency in political party funding, in accordance with global conventions. The organisation focuses on three key topics, namely the nature and scope of disclosures and financial reporting Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

Reforming party finance in SA: exploring the options

By Gary Pienaar and Collette Schulz-Herzenberg First published on Human Sciences Research Council Money plays a fundamental role in a democracy. Political parties need to reach their constituencies and inform them of their policies. Not disclosing private donations can lead to corruption, cronyism and policy capture, but would disclosing donations necessarily increase public trust? In Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

Cleaning up political party funding

South Africa holds local government elections in just under two months. Our new three-part series looks at political party funding and the implications of disclosure or non-disclosure of private funding. Part one examines the results of a 2015 global study focusing on the transparency and effectiveness of political finance regimes. In part two we republish Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

Local government elections 2016 – FAQ

The final registration weekend for the upcoming municipal elections takes place over the weekend of 9 and 10 April. If you’re a South African citizen remember that your vote is not only important when it comes to national elections – it’s at municipal level where government and citizens meet directly, and in a way this Read more >

OPINIONS

Corruption and political party funding

By Matthew Kruger First published on the Helen Suzman Foundation website In South Africa, the events that generate political debate are always aplenty. In the space of three days in late September, we were all especially blessed. First, the US Securities Exchange Commission alleged that Hitachi, a foreign company, had a corrupt relationship with Chancellor Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

MVC: Concourt party funding ruling a mere setback

The fight to compel political parties to publicly reveal where their private funding comes from is not over yet, says My Vote Counts’ (MVC) campaign coordinator Judith February. On Wednesday 30 September the Constitutional Court ruled against the bid brought forward by the MVC to compel political parties to publicly disclose where their private funding Read more >