The Electoral Commission (IEC) has advised those who intend to make oral submissions at the upcoming public hearings into the Political Party Funding Act to do so by the end of business on Wednesday.
The IEC is scheduled to hold public hearings into the published draft regulations in Cape Town between August 1-2.
The hearings follow the publication of draft regulations for comment in March 2019, during which approximately 4 300 written submissions were received.
In April 2019, the IEC postponed the implementation of the first phase to process the large number of written submissions and to allow further opportunity for engagement through public hearings.
The postponement also considered the capacity demands on the IEC, political parties and other stakeholders during South Africa’s May poll.
“Following the success conclusion of the elections and a high-level analysis of the thousands of written submissions received, the Electoral Commission is now in a position to proceed with the finalisation of the regulations and the implementation of the Act in a phased approach,” Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo said Monday.
The Electoral Commission has invited key stakeholders including all represented political parties, selected civil society organisations and business associations, as well as persons who made substantive written submissions.
The Political Party Funding Act regulates the public and private funding of political parties, in particular:
- providing for the establishment and management of Represented Political Parties’ Fund and a new Multiparty Democracy Fund;
- to prohibit certain donations made directly to political parties;
- to regulate disclosure of donations accepted;
- to determine the duties of political parties in respect of funding;
- to provide for powers and duties of the Commission;
- to provide for administrative fines;
- to repeal the Public Funding of Represented Political Parties Act, 1997, and
- to provide for transitional matters.
The provisions of the current Public Funding of Represented Political Parties Act remain in force until a new Political Party Funding Act is promulgated.
Those wishing to make submissions are urged to email the Commission at RanyaneB@elections.org.za by no later than 24 July 2019.
Copies of the Act and the draft regulations are available at: http://www.elections.org.za/content/Documents/Laws-and-regulations/Political-Party-Funding/Government-Gazette—Invitation-to-make-representations-in-respect-of-proposed-regulations-for-Political-Party-Funding-Act-No_-6-of-2018/
