In its first report, since the May elections, detailing political party funding, the Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) revealed that between April and June, parties declared almost R200-million in donations, the highest recorded since the Political Party Funding Act came into effect in 2021.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) declared the highest amount of monetary and in-kind donations valued at R56 601 039.

The party’s monetary donations totalled R48-million and were made up of R15-million each from Fynbos Ekwiteit, Fynbos Kapitaal and Jonathan Oppenheimer; R2.5-million from SAFDEV SSDC (Pty) Ltd; and R500 000 from Discovery Central Services.

In-kind donations for the DA totalled R8 601 039 and came from Voices of South Africa Foundation NPC.

The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) received the second highest in donations with R38 340 000. It received individual donations from Jonathan Oppenheimer and Nicholas Frank Oppenheimer, each of whom donated R15-million, as well as R7.5-million from Martin Paul Moshal; and R420 000 each from African Rainbow Minerals and Harmony Gold Mining Company.

Rise Mzansi declared the third highest donations, totalling R33 895 000, with R15-million each from We Are The People and Rebecca Oppenheimer, as well as R3.3-million from The Tempyr Trust, R320 000 from the Zungu Family Trust and R275 000 from Craig Butters.

The African National Congress declared R26 015 313 in donations, with the Batho Batho Trust donating R15-million, the United Manganese of Kalahari donating R5-million, Chancellor House Trust donating R5-million, and Discovery Central Services donating R500 000.

The party also received R515 313 of in-kind donations from MTN for electioneering and included sim cards, mobile data, minutes and routers.

ActionSA declared R13 186 000 in donations, with R7.5-million from Martin Moshal, R5-million from Victoria Freudenheim and R186 000 from party leader Herman Mashaba. Leap Serve Holdings (Pty) Ltd and Moxitone Investments (Pty) Ltd each donated R250 000.

Build One South Africa (Bosa) declared R12 877 709 in donations. Martin Paul Moshal donated a total of R11.5-million to the party in the reporting period, while R1-million was donated by Mary Slack. The Douw Steyn Family Trust donated R250 000 to Bosam while R127 709 was donated by German foundation Konrad Adenauer Stiftung NPC.

The Patriotic Alliance declared R6 649 900 in donations with R5.1-million from ZAR Empire Holdings (Pty) Ltd, owned by party leader Gayton McKenzie. He also made a personal donation of R299 900 to the party. Valumax Projects (Pty) Ltd donated R1-million and Delicate Slate Mining (Pty) Ltd donated R250 000.

GOOD Party received R600 000, which comprised R500 000 from We Are the People and R100 000 from Winston Brittow.

The Economic Freedom Fighters received R515 313 of in-kind donations, made by MTN in the form of sim cards, mobile data, minutes and routers, for electioneering.

The South African Rainbow Alliance made its first ever declaration of R400 000 from TMBH (Pty) Ltd.

uMkhonto weSizwe Party declared R380 555 from the South African Policy Education Initiative, a not-for-profit organisation registered with the Department of Social Development in March.

The African Christian Democratic Party declared R240 000 – R120 000 each from African Rainbow Minerals and Harmony Gold Mining Company.

Change Starts Now declared R150 000 from the party founder and leader William Rodger Jardine.

“The donation was received on 25 May 2024 despite the party having already announced in March of the same year that it would not be contesting the 2024 national and provincial elections,” the IEC said.

The Independent South African National Civic Organisation (Isanco) declared R100 000 from an entity named Main Street 1564, owned by Anthony Charles Ball. The IEC noted that the donation was reported not by Isanco, but by Ball, and said it would follow up with the party to ensure compliance.

Meanwhile, the Multi-Party Democracy Fund received R25-million from Exxaro Resources Limited, which the IEC said was disbursed to represented parties.

“The Commission reiterates its gratitude to Exxaro and implores other corporates to follow its lauded example of contributing to fortifying multi-party democracy in the country,”  the IEC said.