Al Jama-ah accuses ANC of cutting funds for smaller partiesAl Jama-ah Accuses ANC of Undermining Democracy – Electoral Bill Betrays Principles

The Al Jama-ah Muslim party condemns the passing of the Electoral Matters Amendment Bill by the National Assembly, viewing it as a departure from democratic principles.

Party leader Ganief Hendricks criticizes the implications of the bill, particularly regarding the Political Party Funding Act (PPFA), which will result in decreased funding for political parties and independent candidates.

Equity Concerns

Hendricks expresses dissatisfaction with the allocation of funds under the new bill, stating that larger parties like the ANC and the Democratic Alliance (DA) will receive double the amount of funding while smaller parties like Al Jama-ah will only receive half.

He highlights a shift in the funding formula from two-thirds proportional and one-third equitable to 90% proportional and 10% equitable, which he believes disproportionately benefits larger parties.

Perceived Bias

Al Jama-ah perceives the changes as a deliberate attempt by the ANC to marginalize smaller parties.

Hendricks accuses the ANC of betraying democratic principles and creating a less competitive political environment by favoring larger parties in the allocation of funds.

Ethical Concerns

Hendricks admonishes ANC MPs for disregarding ethical principles and betraying the trust of smaller parties.

He invokes the solidarity of liberation movements in the past, suggesting that proportional representation should not apply in the context of political funding.

New Provisions in the Bill

Apart from funding allocations, the bill grants the president authority to set upper limits on the amount of money political parties and independent candidates can accept as donations.

It also empowers the president to determine the threshold for declaring donations, adding another layer of executive control over political finance.

Criticism from ActionSA

ActionSA, another political party, echoes concerns about the new funding rules, criticizing the larger parties for benefiting at the expense of smaller ones.

Alan Beesley of ActionSA laments the prioritization of political squabbles over addressing the needs of ordinary South Africans, highlighting the disconnect between politicians and the people they represent.

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