Another R15 million donation for Rise Mzansi while Change Starts Now scores big

CAPE TOWN - Political newcomer, Change Starts Now is among the parties which received the largest amount in donations over the last three months, despite having since withdrawn from the electoral race.

It received some R35 million this quarter, more than double the amount the African National Congress (ANC) raked in.

Another new kid on the block, Rise Mzansi has again scored big with R15 million in donations.

With over R172 million in total declared by 13 parties over this period, the sum is more than declared over the past two financial years.  

Change Starts Now, the party led by former business executive Roger Jardine, received donations from three separate donors.

Through Fynbos Ekwiteit, the investment company of former Capitec founder and billionaire, Michiel Le Roux, the party received R15 million.

The same amount was donated by another regular party funder, Main Street 1564.

Jardine’s outfit received another R5 million from the Ball Family Trust.

Fynbos Ekwiteit has also funded the Democratic Alliance (DA) in the past, while Main Street 1564 gave the party R10 million in this quarter.

After getting tongues wagging with a R15 million donation from Rebecca Oppenheimer in the previous quarter, Rise Mzansi declared a R15 million donation from a voluntary organisation called, We Are The People.

Another unrepresented party, ISANCO benefited from Main Street 1564, with two donations amounting to just under R1.6 million.

The able leadership party, currently also unrepresented and planning to contest elections in Limpopo and Mpumalanga, received three separate donations amounting to R360,000, all from the same donor, Madzahisi Trading Enterprise.