Money Behind South African Politics to Be Revealed

The enactment of the Political Party Funding Act is good news for democracy in South Africa. The benefits far outweigh the costs of non-disclosure of private funding. However, its success will depend on its implementation to the letter, writes Paul Kariuki for The Daily Maverick. In 2020, the Public Protector instituted a court case against President Cyril Ramaphosa - also the leader of the ruling African National Congress- whose election campaign allegedly raised more than U.S.$66 million. The sources of the funds were unknown and suddenly became a subject for scrutiny, amid various allegations. The Act will make it possible to know the sources of funding of political parties and this will go a long way towards strengthening public confidence in the democratic political processes in the country.