DA welcomes IEC probe of ANC and Rise Mzansi funding

- ANC faces scrutiny over donations

- IEC investigates political funding compliance

- DA demands full accountability

The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes the Electoral Commission of South Africa's (IEC) investigation into the ANC's apparent failure to comply with political funding disclosure laws, as well as its scrutiny of Rise Mzansi's controversial R30 million donation arrangement.

The Political Party Funding Act exists for one reason, to ensure South Africans know who is funding political parties.

Yet the ANC appears to believe that transparency rules are for everyone except itself.

According to the IEC, donations totalling R770 000 were declared by donors to the ANC but were not acknowledged or disclosed by the party. The IEC has also directed the ANC to explain why declarations relating to a further R10.5 million in donations were submitted late.

This is not a trivial administrative error. It strikes at the heart of transparency and accountability in South African politics.

For a party that has spent decades hollowing out state institutions through cadre deployment, corruption and patronage networks, any failure to comply with funding disclosure laws should alarm every South African. Voters have a right to ask what else the ANC is not telling them.

Parties that cannot be trusted to disclose their donors honestly cannot be trusted to govern honestly.

The DA expects the IEC to pursue this matter vigorously and without fear or favour. Any breaches of the Political Party Funding Act must be dealt with decisively, regardless of which party is involved.

The DA also notes the IEC's ongoing investigation into Rise Mzansi's declaration of a R30 million donation arising from the conversion of a previous loan. The Commission has confirmed that it is seeking clarity on the terms of this conversion to determine whether it complies with the Act.

South Africans deserve clear answers regarding the source, structure and disclosure of this R30 million funding arrangement.

The DA has consistently complied with the disclosure requirements of the Political Party Funding Act because we believe transparency is not optional.

As South Africa approaches the 2026 local government elections, no political party is above scrutiny.