IEC calls for final oral submissions regarding Political Party Funding Act

As the deadline for the public hearings into the draft regulations to the Political Party Funding Act looms, the Electoral Commission (IEC) has advised those who intend to make oral submissions at the upcoming public hearings in the Western Cape to do so by the end of business on Wednesday, July 24.

This is ahead of the public hearings, which will be held by the IEC in Cape Town on August 1 and 2.

According to the Government News Agency, this is the next step in a process that has thus far seen the publication of draft regulations for comment between March 1 and 21 2019.

Approximately 4,300 written submissions were received following the publication of the draft regulations.

Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo said in a statement issued on Monday: “Following the successful conclusion of the elections and a high-level analysis of the thousands of written submissions received, the Electoral Commission is now in a position to proceed with the finalisation of the regulations and the implementation of the Act in a phased approach.

“The Electoral Commission has written to key stakeholders including all represented political parties, a number of civil society organisations, business associations and those persons who made substantive written submissions inviting them to attend the hearings,” added the IEC.

The Political Party Funding Act regulates the public and private funding of political parties, in particular:

• providing for the establishment and management of Represented Political Parties’ Fund and a new Multiparty Democracy Fund;
• to prohibit certain donations made directly to political parties;
• to regulate disclosure of donations accepted;
• to determine the duties of political parties in respect of funding;
• to provide for powers and duties of the Commission;
• to provide for administrative fines;
• to repeal the Public Funding of Represented Political Parties Act, 1997, and
• to provide for transitional matters.

Those wishing to make submissions are invited to promptly email the Commission at RanyaneB@elections.org.za by no later than July 24.

Click here to view copies of the Act and the draft regulations.

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(Compiled by Kaunda Selisho)

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