The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has published political funding declarations for the first quarter of the 2026/27 financial year, revealing that four parties declared a combined R116.8 million in donations for the period 1 April to 30 June 2026 as fundraising steps up ahead of the 4 November local government elections.
Big share for the DA; ANC paperwork flagged
According to the IEC, the bulk of the declared funds came from the Democratic Alliance (DA), which accounted for roughly 89% of the total, declaring more than R104 million. ActionSA declared R5.5 million, the Labour Party of South Africa R5 million, and RISE Mzansi R2.25 million.
Separately, the IEC said submissions it received relating to donations to the African National Congress (ANC) did not meet the requirements of the Political Funding Act and the applicable disclosure framework. Those submissions, totalling R15.27 million, were excluded from the compliant total. The commission has issued the ANC with a Section 15 direction to remedy the deficiencies.
"Political Funding Declarations 1st quarter declaration of political party donations for the 2026/27 financial year, for the period from 1 April to 30 June 2026. R116.8 million in donations has been declared from 4 political parties collectively." — IEC South Africa tweet
What the numbers show
The declaration underscores how rapidly fundraising activity has accelerated as parties gear up for local government polls. The IEC took care to emphasise that publication of the non-compliant ANC material should not be read as a finding that the donations themselves were unlawful; rather, the issue relates to statutory disclosure and verification requirements.
- Declared total (compliant): R116.8 million from four parties.
- DA: > R104 million (≈89% of the compliant total).
- ActionSA: R5.5 million; Labour Party: R5 million; RISE Mzansi: R2.25 million.
- ANC-related donations of R15.27 million excluded for non-compliance; Section 15 direction issued.
| Party | Declared (1 Apr–30 Jun 2026) |
|---|---|
| Democratic Alliance (DA) | > R104 million |
| ActionSA | R5.5 million |
| Labour Party of South Africa | R5 million |
| RISE Mzansi | R2.25 million |
| ANC (excluded) | R15.27 million (non-compliant submissions) |
Context and consequences
The IEC's disclosure comes at a sensitive moment. Local government elections tend to be contested on service delivery and municipal performance; they also present a battleground for national parties seeking to bolster their local footholds. Fundraising spikes can translate into greater advertising, more ground operations and intensified campaigning in wards where margins are narrow.
Transparency in political funding is intended to give voters a clearer picture of who is financing campaigns and to curb undue influence. The IEC's decision to exclude the ANC-related sums from the compliant total, and to issue a Section 15 direction, will draw scrutiny from both opponents and civil-society groups monitoring electoral integrity. The commission's statement that exclusion does not imply illegality is factual but procedural; parties must still satisfy the statutory disclosure and verification rules to be counted as compliant.
Practically, the ruling gives opponents a talking point about compliance and governance ahead of the polls. For the DA and the other parties that lodged compliant returns, the declarations provide a weapon for campaign messaging: showing fundraising strength and the capacity to sustain election operations. For voters and watchdogs, the publication will sharpen attention on subsequent returns and on whether the ANC remedies the deficiencies identified by the IEC.
The IEC has published the declarations and accompanying material on its channels and is expected to continue monitoring compliance under the Political Funding Act as the election period progresses.
