Regulating political finance in South Africa: perspectives on the Political Funding Act and its implementation

Abstract

The Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) was commissioned by the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) to conduct a research study that examines the country’s evolving political funding framework considering the Political Funding Act (PFA) No. 6 of 2018. The PFA was enacted to promote transparency, accountability, and fair competition in the financing of political parties and independent candidates and representatives. The legislation makes the disclosure of large donations mandatory, regulates both public and private funding, and established mechanisms such as the Multi-Party Democracy Fund (MPDF). With implementation beginning in 2021 and amendments made in 2024, the Act is aligned with constitutional imperative to support a multiparty democracy. The study, overseen by the Commission’s Political Funding Unit (PFU) and the Research and Knowledge Management (RKM) Unit, explores the effectiveness of the current regime and identifies areas for potential policy improvement.