By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Oppenheimer family, and Naspers collectively donated over R30 million to ActionSA and the Democratic Alliance ahead of this year’s local government elections.
In the second quarter, the political party funding report released by the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) earlier today indicated that Rebecca Oppenheimer contributed R3.3m and Victoria Freudenheim R3.3m and Jessica Slack-Jell R3.3m to ActionSA, while Martin Moshal contributed R5m to the party’s coffers.
According to the IEC report, Moshal also emerged as a key funder of the DA with a contribution of R15m while Naspers contributed R1m to the party.
Major contributors to the cash-strapped ANC was by African Rainbow Minerals owned by Patrice Motsepe, with a R5.8m contribution while the Chancellor House Trust contributed R15m and NEP Consulting R1m.
The party’s president Cyril Ramaphosa also contributed a total of R366 000.
The donations received by the six political parties were for the November 1 municipal elections and were paid to the Electoral Commission (IEC) while more than 300 others who participated in the elections failed to make any disclosures.
Other parties who disclosed their funding include the Abantu Integrity Movement, headed by Mkhuseli Jack in Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape; ACDP; ANC; DA and Good Party.
The breakdown of donations includes:
* ANC – R22 619 969.00
*ActionSA – R16 923 382.00
*Democratic Alliance – R16 867 007.43
*African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) – R235 000.00
* GOOD – R122 900.00
*Abantu Integrity Movement (AIM) – R112 386.04
The IEC said Section 9(3) of the Political Party Funding Act 6 of 2018 and its supporting regulations require all registered political parties to disclose donations above the R100 000 threshold to the Electoral Commission.