As the Electoral Commission (IEC) readies itself to implement the Political Party Funding Act, a small delegation heads to the United Kingdom from the 11th to 14th of November on a study visit to examine how their Electoral Commission regulates and manages the disclosure of private funding to political parties.

The delegation comprises Commissioner Mosotho Moepya, the former CEO of the IEC, and Mr George Mahlangu, the Chief Executive for Party Funding at the IEC. They will be accompanied by Lawson Naidoo, CASAC’s Executive Secretary. The visit is being arranged and co-ordinated by CASAC in partnership with the British High Commission in Pretoria and British Consulate General in Cape Town.
Parliament passed the Political Party Funding Act in 2018 and it was signed into law by President Ramaphosa in January 2019. It is not yet in force. The IEC has however published Draft Regulations which are being finalised following a public consultation process earlier this year.

The visit aims to give the Electoral Commission of South Africa an opportunity to understand how the UK practically applies its Private Party Funding legislation, as well as to examine how political parties in the UK have responded to the Electoral Commission’s Private Party Funding (PPF) regulations. We also hope to glean knowledge of the Electoral Commissions systems and mechanisms to receive, record and disseminate information, challenges and successes in implementation, and best practices regarding the regulation of party funding.

In addition to meeting with the UK Electoral Commission, the delegation will meet representatives from the Conservative Party, Labour Party and the Liberal Democrats, the Electoral Reform Society, Unlock Democracy and Corruption Watch.