Minority Parties Call for Fair Share in Political Party Funding

Tempers flared on the opening day of the Independent Electoral Commission’s (IEC) Political Party Funding Symposium in Durban, as smaller political parties called for urgent reforms in the way political funding is allocated. The two-day event, running from 18 to 19 June 2025, has brought together representatives from political organisations across the country to reassess the implications and effectiveness of South Africa’s Political Party Funding Law.

Several small and minority parties raised concerns that the current funding model overwhelmingly favours larger, more established parties, leaving smaller formations with inadequate resources to participate meaningfully in democratic processes. With local government elections set for 2026, these parties are calling for urgent intervention.

“Political Party Data must be shared and we must know what’s happening in Gauteng or in the Northern Cape,” said Jana Warffemius from the United Democratic Movement. “The IEC must reconsider its funding mechanisms, especially for parties that operate at provincial and municipal levels. Without funding, our ability to campaign and educate voters is severely restricted.”

Echoing this sentiment, Dipuo Mokola Mthembu from the South African Royal Kingdoms Organisation said: “The IEC must do more. The current system sidelines emerging voices and makes it almost impossible for smaller parties to survive, let alone thrive.”

Many of these parties are requesting that the IEC assist with covering essential campaign costs, such as advertising, posters, audit fees, and staff salaries.

IEC Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo addressed the concerns during his opening remarks, stating that the symposium’s purpose is to find solutions that serve all political parties fairly. “The IEC is merely an implementing agency. We will consolidate all recommendations from this symposium and submit them to Parliament, which is ultimately responsible for policy decisions,” he said.

Mamabolo reminded delegates of the significant progress made since the 2021 implementation of the revised Political Party Funding Act. “This law was introduced to bring transparency, accountability, and integrity to political financing. But now, four years later, we must reflect—has it achieved what we intended?” he asked.

The symposium is structured around key areas of evaluation, including the effectiveness of disclosure mechanisms, the promotion of multi-party democracy, adequacy of public funding, and enforcement of the funding law. Delegates will hear research insights from the Human Sciences Research Council and examine comparative case studies from democracies such as Mexico, Tanzania, Senegal, and countries within Southern Africa.

A key point raised was whether the law has inadvertently widened the gap between well-funded, dominant parties and emerging ones struggling for survival. “We must ensure a level playing field,” Mamabolo emphasized, adding that the Commission will also present funding trends and data since the revised law came into effect.

The Minister of Finance is expected to provide a national perspective on the sustainability and role of public funding in supporting democracy.

As the symposium continues into its second day, participants are urged to engage in rigorous yet respectful debate. “Let our unity be in service of something far greater than any single party—our democracy itself,” Mamabolo concluded.