By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
RISE Mzansi National Leader Songezo Zibi, has defended the R30 million loan write-off as a donation, arguing it complies with South Africa’s Political Party Funding Act.
Zibi was speaking at a media briefing on Monday in Rosebank, Johannesburg.
He said the loan was originally obtained from the organisation “We Are The People” to fund the party’s 2024 election campaign.
The debt was later written off after the party struggled to repay it.
He said the party had paid more than R1 million towards servicing the loan but was unable to settle the outstanding balance.
Under the Political Party Funding Act, Zibi said, a written-off loan must be declared as a donation because it constitutes a financial benefit.
We took legal advice before the election on the kind of fundraising methods and support that would be acceptable in terms of the Political Party Funding Act,” he said.
Zibi rejected suggestions that the donation was improper, noting that the legislation allows juristic persons to donate to political parties within prescribed limits.
He also criticised what he described as inconsistent scrutiny of political party funding disclosures.
Zibi claims journalists are too scared to ask parties such as the MK Party and the EFF about their funding, for fear of being bullied on social media.
His comments come after the IEC raised questions about a R30 million donation declared by RISE Mzansi while releasing its latest political funding disclosure report.
The report, covering January to March 2026, showed political parties received a combined R97.2 million in donations ahead of the local government elections scheduled for November 4.
The IEC said it is seeking additional information about RISE Mzansi’s declaration after the party reported that the amount resulted from the conversion of an existing loan into a donation from “We Are The People.”
According to the commission, the transaction did not originate as a direct donation and the terms of the loan conversion are being examined to determine whether they fully comply with the Political Party Funding Act.
Zibi has also welcomed the appointment of the party’s Chief organiser, Makashule Gana as chair of Parliament’s impeachment committee.
He stressed that the role of the chairperson is not to act as a judge but rather to ensure that the process is conducted fairly, with credibility and in line with the Constitution.
“The most important responsibility of a chair is to make sure that we have a process that reflects the relevant constitutional provisions.”
The parliamentary impeachment committee held its first meeting last Monday, where Gana was elected the chairperson.
The committee was established after the Constitutional Court ruled that the National Assembly’s vote to end investigations into the robbery at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala game farm.
Gana outlined the committee’s immediate priorities, its commitment to transparency, and the steps that will be taken before timelines for the inquiry can be determined.
He made it clear that the impeachment committee would continue with its preparations despite court action related to the process.
He said the committee was already preparing for its first meeting and intends to convene before Parliament goes into recess later this month.
According to Gana, legal correspondence or pending court applications would not be sufficient grounds to suspend the committee’s work.
“The work can only be halted or stopped when ordered by a competent court,” he said.
Gana said members must agree on terms of reference, which will define the scope and operation of the inquiry. The committee will also establish rules governing how members engage with one another and how witnesses will participate in proceedings.
As part of its preparations for the 2026 local government elections, RISE Mzansi and its partner party GOOD announced two mayoral candidates for South Africa’s most economically significant metros.
Political analyst and commentator Lukhona Mnguni has been named as the mayoral candidate for Johannesburg, while GOOD Secretary-General Brett Herron will contest for mayor in Cape Town, Western Cape.