COSATU will present its proposals and views on the Political Party Funding Bill to the NCOP’s Ad-Hoc Committee at 3pm Wednesday ,20 June, Old Assembly Chamber, Parliament.

The massive extent of corruption across all spheres of South Africa is well known.  Political parties and businesses across the board have been heavily implicated in this.  This is no longer solely an ANC challenge but in fact one that even engulfs opposition parties as they too are also ruling parties in different provinces and municipalities. COSATU welcomes the bill’s prohibitions on parties receiving funding from:

• Foreign governments and state agencies;
• South African state organs and state owned companies; and
• The proceeds of criminal activities.

COSATU further welcomes the bill’s requirements for parties to disclose donations that they receive.

However ,COSATU is deeply dismayed that political parties which cry about the budget deficit, the wage bill etc. and who call for public expenditure to be reduced, the wage bill cut and public service posts slashed; are now all without exception pleading for increased funding from state coffers!

These are the same parties who have voted to increase VAT and many other taxes that are bleeding workers dry.  COSATU rejects any increase in public funding of political parties.

COSATU is shocked that the bill allows for political parties to not disclose donations of less than R100 000.  This will in effect collapse the positive anti-corruption intentions of the bill and must simply be deleted.

Issued by COSATU

Matthew Parks (Cosatu Parliamentary Coordinator)

Cell: 082 785 0687

Email: matthew@cosatu.org.za