My Vote Counts wins case

THE United Democratic Movement (UDM) and Parliament have hailed a Western Cape High Court ruling which ordered Parliament to change legislation to compel political parties to disclose who their private funders are.

My Vote Counts had brought the court challenge, with the respondents including the president, Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Minister of Home Affairs, the SA Human Rights Commission and all the political parties represented in Parliament

“The UDM has long agitated for the review of party funding legislation to eliminate the trend of selling the country to the highest bidder,” said UDM leader Bantu Holomisa.

“#GuptaLeaks has shown palpable evidence that South Africa’s political dispensation is vulnerable to manipulation by individuals, groups and companies for nefarious and very selfish goals.”

Judge Shenaz Meer’s ruling, which still has to be confirmed by the Constitutional Court, means Parliament would have 18 months to amend the Promotion of Access to Information Act (Paia), which was found to be inconsistent with the Constitution.

The judgment came as an ad hoc committee of Parliament was reviewing the funding of political parties.

The DA said it would not appeal against the successful court bid by an NGO, My Vote Counts, to have the secrecy around the private funding of party political parties and the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) declared unconstitutional.

Parliament last night welcomed the ruling, saying that it would study the judgment to see how it would affect the Political Funding Bill currently before the ad hoc committee on Funding of Political Parties which has been given until November 30 to submit a report to the National Assembly.

My Vote Counts national co-ordinator Janine Ogle said the issue of party political funding had been left unresolved because “Parliament hasn’t had the will to take action. It’s been up to civil society and we’ve had to litigate”.

The Minister of Justice and Correctional Services along with the DA were ordered to pay the costs of the application.