Parliament, Thursday, 14 June 2018 – The Ad Hoc Committee on the Funding of Political Parties was briefed by Parliament’s Constitutional and Legal Services Office (CLSO) on the Political Party Funding Bill. The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) and national Treasury also provided their responses to the Bill.
The Bill was passed by the National Assembly on 27 March 2018 and transmitted to the National Council of Provinces for concurrence. It repeals the current Public Funding of Represented Political Parties Act 103 of 1997, which was enacted in line with section 236 of the Constitution.
Mr Michael Prince from Parliament’s CLSO said the Bill retains the existing Represented Political Party Fund, which is funded from public money, and also seeks to establish a second one, namely the Multi-Party Democracy Fund, which is to be funded from private sources. He said both funds will be administered by the IEC.
The IEC Chairperson, Mr Glen Mashinini, said the commission will require additional financial resources to establish a separate unit to perform its functions under the Bill. He explained that the commission will bring the Bill into effect in a phased approach.
The committee has received 11 written comments on the Bill from members of the public and organisations, in which eight indicated their interest in making oral submissions. Accordingly, the committee will hold public hearings next week on 20 June 2018.
ISSUED BY PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE AD HOC COMMITTEE ON THE FUNDING OF POLITICAL PARTIES, MR DIKGANG STOCK
For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact committee’s media officer:
Name: Mr Justice Molafo
Tel: 021 403 8444
Cell: 081 424 7481
Email: jmolafo@parliament.gov.za
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