1. COSATU Submission: Political Party Funding Bill 13 June 2018

2. Objectives Welcome Political Party Funding Bill objectives;
Crisis of corruption and capture;
Crisis of public faith in parties and political system;
Many ruling parties today in South Africa at different levels;
Fears of intimidation; and
Important intervention by Bill.

3. COSATU Supported Clauses in Bill
Equitable and proportional representation based party funding;
Prohibitions of funding parties by:
Foreign government and state agencies;
South African state organs and state owned companies; and
Proceeds of crime.

4. COSATU Supported Clauses in Bill
Party funding statements to include all donations and be subject to auditors;
Powers of Commission:
Access to all party funding information;
Powers to subpoena and sanction;
Party responsibilities;
Commission reports to Parliament;
All donations.

5. COSATU Opposed Clauses in Bill
Principle of expanding public funding of parties in climate of austerity, service delivery, and state and SOE job cuts and as a reward to parties not to be corrupt;
Section 9 Disclosure of donations to political party;
R threshold.

6. COSATU Proposed Amendments
Delete any threshold for donations that parties are not required to disclose:
Delete Section 9 (1) (a);
Remove reference to Section 9 (1) (a) in Section 24 (1); and
Remove reference to disclosure thresholds in definitions in Schedule 2 (1); and
Delete Section 9 of Schedule 2.

7. Conclusion Support progressive objectives of Bill;
Support progressive transparency and accountability clauses; and
Support powers and reporting requirements of commission.

8. Conclusion Oppose expanding public funding of parties; and
Oppose and delete disclosure threshold principle and amount.