EFF calls on IEC to release comprehensive report on party funding disclosures

The EFF on Saturday maintained that it did not receive any donations above R100,000, between April and June this year, that needed to be declared to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).

The IEC released on Thursday its first quarterly report on political parties’ donations received from donors, in accordance with the new Political Party Funding Act (PPFA) that came into effect on 1 April.

The Red Berets were among 502 political parties that did not disclose any donations, while the ANC, DA and ActionSA declared donations totalling more than R30 million. 

ALSO READ: EFF survives on money from Parliament, IEC and party levies, says Malema

The EFF has now called on the IEC to release a comprehensive report with details of all political parties that responded to its request for declarations. The party said this would help to confirm that they did not receive any donations that require a declaration.

The EFF’s elections spokesperson, Leigh-Ann Mathys, said this would ensure there is no doubt in the public about the partie’s compliance with the PPFA.

Mathys said the party engaged with the IEC and confirmed they did not receive anything that requires declaration.

“Prior to this and in anticipation of this Act coming into effect, the EFF convened several meetings with the IEC officials to engage and train the leadership of the EFF from the national, provincial and regional leadership structures on the implementation of this Act.

“All these engagements were done to ensure and enforce compliance with the provisions of the above-mentioned Act,” Mathys said in a statement.

She said on 6 July 2021, the IEC wrote a letter to the EFF reminding them to disclose any donations received for the first quarter of the financial year.

“The EFF responded and confirmed to not have received any donations. Subsequently, the IEC responded and confirmed that there is no need to make a donation declaration on the IEC Online Party Funding System if a party has not received any donations.

“This is indeed in line with the provisions of the Act as prescribed by section 9 of the PPFA, 2018.”

EFF survives on money from Parliament, IEC and party levies

On Friday, EFF leader Julius Malema said his party had no donations to declare because they were surviving through funds received from Parliament, the IEC and party levies.

“There is nothing to declare, they’re called donations. The EFF survived through the money of Parliament, through the IEC money and through party levies.

“Party levies are what our public representatives contribute every month and that’s what makes the EFF survive. There’s nothing that came into the EFF coffers that is more than R100,000,” Malema said, speaking to journalists in Alexandra.

He said the EFF had nothing to hide about its funding sources and the IEC would receive the party’s audited financial statements to prove this.

“We are going to be audited and the audited financial statements will be sent to the IEC for the commission to satisfy itself.”

Compiled by Thapelo Lekabe

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