President Cyril Ramaphosa Says ANC is Broke Because Funders Don't Want Donations to Be Publicly Declared

• President Cyril Ramaphosa says the African National Congress is struggling financially because donors have to declare donations
• Ramaphosa says previous donors have opted not to fund the ruling party because they don't to be known by the public
• The ANC along with other political organisations want the Political Party Funding Act to be changed to accommodate donors

POLOKWANE - President Cyril Ramaphosa has attributed the African National Congress's dire financial situation to the fact that individuals who donate R100 000 and more to any political organisation need to publicly declare their donations.

The ANC has been struggling to pay employees for a couple of months, with some not being paid for three months in a row.

Speaking at the ANC's 110th birthday gala dinner, Ramaphosa stated that ANC funders have made the decision not to donate to the ruling party because they do not want their firms to be associated with the ANC, according to TimesLIVE.

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“There are business people who would say, ‘I don’t want, in running my business, to be on the front page of a newspaper.,’" says Ramaphosa.

ANC wants to challenge the Political Party Funding Act

The ANC now wants the Political Party Funding Act that was implemented in April 2021 to be amended in hopes of making ANC funders comfortable to donate to the party without being known to the public.

In addition, to requiring donors to declare their R100k donations, funders are also limited in how they can donate in a single. The Act caps the donations to R15 million, according to SundayTimes.

ANC Treasurer-General Paul Mashatile says the private sector still donates to the ruling party but funding is not the same as it used to be, reports IOL.

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“We still get money from the private sector but it doesn’t flow as it used to and that’s why we have asked the government to increase party funding,” said Mashatile.

According to Mashatile, the ANC used to get 70% of its funding from the private sector but businesses have become reluctant.

Other political parties want the Act to be amended

The ruling party says they are not the only political organisation that seeks to have the Act amended.

Dakota Legoete, ANC National Executive Committee member says the Act also affects political organisations such as the Democratic Alliance and the Economic Freedom Fighters who also want to challenge the Act.

South Africans weigh in on the ANC's financial woes

Heading online, South Africans have shared their thoughts about ANC funders backing out of donating to the ruling party.

Some people stated that they would also be ashamed to be associated with the ANC publically. Others are questioning whether the ruling party couldn't see they would come into such a problem.

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Here are some comments:

@WalterHolder3 said:

"I'd also be ashamed if I had to admit publicly that I donated money to the ANC. The DA doesn't seem to have this problem. Their employees aren't capering in front of their head office."

@Mduduzi_911 said:

"Didn't they see that this would be a problem when they were pushing it through? It makes one wonder how many laws have been passed without proper analysis of its consequences."

@afirikanman said:

"They want to remain unknown so that we don't link their donations to tender awards."

@heaven_4SA said:

"That is news. Maybe they are ashamed to be associated with the ANC."

@Transvaal_boere said:

"No @CyrilRamaphosa it is not just to declare. We don't trust you anymore. @DlaminiZuma stabbed those who helped initially when Covid started in the back. You lied. With Zondo we saw what we always knew and you protected Zuma in a parliament vote. Why would we give you more money?"

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Power outage puts a damper on Ramaphosa’s speech

Briefly News previously reported that the ANC's Gala dinner was cut short due to a mysterious power outage. Only minutes after President Cyril Ramaphosa took to the podium at around 9 pm the lights went out, leaving many distinguished guests in the dark- literally!

The dinner was hosted as a way for the African National Congress to raise funds ahead of its January 8th 110th Anniversary celebrations, with some guests paying upwards of R1 million for a seat at the event, IOL reports.

News24 reports that President Ramaphosa and Deputy President David Mabuza were whisked away shortly after the power cuts with electricity returning around 15 minutes later.

Source: Briefly News