R30m Donation Scrutiny: Zibi Calls Out Media Double Standards on Political Funding

Politics

When Rise Mzansi, a party pushing for genuine transformation in South Africa, receives a R30 million donation, the establishment suddenly has questions. But when parties that protect colonial economic structures declare almost nothing, there is a deafening silence. Party leader Songezo Zibi is calling out this blatant double standard.

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has raised questions about a R30 million donation from an entity called We Are The People, specifically around the conversion of a loan to a donation. It is the biggest single donation to a political organisation since mandated funding came into effect. However, Zibi, a former journalist turned politician, dismissed the scrutiny and demanded consistency from both the IEC and the media.

Let us be consistent, guys,

said Zibi during a media briefing on Monday in Johannesburg.

Following the Law While Others Hide

Zibi explained that Rise Mzansi made several loans during the 2024 election campaign, one of which was from We Are The People. The party has been servicing these loans, paying just north of a million rand, as required by the Party Political Funding Act on commercial terms. When the party struggled to repay all the money, the creditor opted to write it off.

The Party Political Funding Act requires that if you owe somebody money and they say you don't have to pay it anymore, you must declare that as a donation because it's a financial benefit,

he said. Rise Mzansi followed the law to the letter, declaring the financial benefit transparently.

Who is We Are The People?

While the IEC and some journalists have focused heavily on the identity of We Are The People, Zibi pointed out that the organisation has donated to multiple political parties, including the GOOD party and the UDM, as well as voter education programmes.

I really would invite you to go to YouTube and so on,

he said.

The real issue, according to Zibi, is the selective outrage. He highlighted a peculiarity where declarations to the DA were made only in numbers and letters, yet journalists showed no interest in asking who those people are.

You guys are not interested in asking them who those people are,

said Zibi.

The Bullying Tactics That Shield the EFF and MK Party

Zibi did not hold back when it came to calling out the media's fear of questioning parties that use intimidation tactics. He pointed out that anyone who believes the MK Party has no additional sources of funding beyond the R270 000 declared so far also believes pigs fly. The MK Party, now the country's third-biggest party, has declared a suspiciously low amount.

You also don't ask similar questions of the EFF, which declares almost nothing, because they will bully you online, and you know it,

Zibi continued. Ahead of the 2024 elections, EFF leader Julius Malema said the party had been funded through a series of loans and party allocations, as reported by Sunday World.

The message from Rise Mzansi is clear: if the IEC and the media are going to scrutinize political funding, they must do so consistently across all parties. The selective targeting of a party that is transparently declaring its funding while ignoring those who use bullying to avoid scrutiny is unacceptable. South Africa deserves a media and electoral commission that holds all parties to the same standard, not just those who follow the rules.