Political parties prepare to open their books as Ramaphosa signs funding bill into law
President Cyril Ramaphosa has finally signed the Political Party Funding Bill into law, paving the way for more transparency when it comes political party funding.
The Constitutional Court’s proclamation that voters have a right to know who is funding their political choice, has been acceded to.
The highest court in the land declared the Promotion of Access to Information Act invalid due to its failure to allow for the disclosure of donations to political parties and independent candidates.
Parliament subsequently established an ad-hoc committee to draw up the provisions of the bill.
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The bill proposes regulating and making transparent private and public donations to political parties represented in Parliament and provincial legislatures.
The ANC welcomed Ramaphosa’s decision, saying the bill is crucial for democracy.
“It’s long overdue. It’s important in deepening our democracy we uphold important values such as transparency,” says the party’s Zizi Kodwa.
He says the party is “not concerned” over the fact that what was once perceived to be private information, will now be in the public domain.
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In his landmark ruling in June, Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng said: “[N]ot all funders support political campaigns with clean motives”.