ActionSA says My Vote Counts' political funding challenge is misguided
My Vote Counts is challenging the constitutionality of the Political Funding Act, and is demanding greater disclosure of private party funding.
National chairperson of ActionSA, Michael Beaumont. Picture: EWN
CAPE TOWN - ActionSA said that My Vote Counts' political funding challenge in the Western Cape High Court on Monday was misguided.
It said that rather than pushing for private donations to political parties and independents to be curtailed, the lobby group should be demanding stricter enforcement of the law.
ActionSA's national chairperson, Michael Beaumont, has questioned the meagre disclosures by parties such as the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and MK Party that appear out of kilter with their expenditure on big public events.
My Vote Counts is challenging the constitutionality of the Political Funding Act and is demanding greater disclosure of private party funding.
My Vote Counts said that all private donations to political parties should be declared and the R15 million annual limit for donating to parties should be lowered.
It also wants private donors themselves to declare their support for political parties and independents and not only political parties.
But Beaumont, whose party is opposing the application, said that the focus should be on giving the Electoral Commission the investigative capability to probe the quarterly declarations.
Beaumont said that expecting all donations to be declared would throttle private funding.
"We are largely disadvantaged by donors who don’t want to be disclosed, they don’t face the fear of reprisals that comes along with being disclosed as a political party donor."
The Democratic Alliance (DA) is also opposing Monday's application, similarly arguing that parties won’t be able to operate effectively if private funding dries up.