ANC spent more than R70m to pay staff

CAPE TOWN — The ANC’s salary bill remains its biggest expense and the party spent more than R70m paying staff.

The governing party was the biggest beneficiary of the Represented Political Parties Fund and received R75.6m from it.

The information about the ANC’s salary bill is contained in the fund’s annual report.

The Independent Electoral Commission’s Represented Political Parties Fund distributed more than R127m to political parties in Parliament and provincial legislatures in the financial year ended March 31 2016, according to its report.

The report provides insight into political parties’ funding outside of private donations, a thorny and secretive issue.

The ANC received R72.9m in proportional transfers and R2.7m in equitable transfers from the fund. It spent R640,000 on meetings and rally arrangements.

The DA received a R24.8m proportional transfer and a R2.7m equitable transfer. It spent R22m on salaries and R2.3m on rent and electricity.

The EFF received a R7.5m proportional transfer and a R2.7m equitable transfer. The party spent most of its money on rallies and events, which cost R6.7m, and travel at R1.2m.

My Vote Counts national coordinator Janine Ogle said while the transfers were not the largest contributor to some parties’ finances, they played an important role in keeping smaller parties active.

“It was felt that because parties in legislatures are mandated with an important function they are allowed access to finances from the public.

“Sometimes this is the only funding that can sustain small political parties and this is the only funding they can receive from the IEC,” Ogle said.

My Vote Counts intends to take up the issue of the disclosure of private donations in the high court.