President Cyril Ramaphosa has approved new thresholds under the Political Funding Act, effectively doubling key limits on party donations.
The maximum annual donation a single donor can give to a political party has been raised from R15 million to R30 million. At the same time, the disclosure threshold has increased from R100,000 to R200,000, meaning any donation below that amount will not need to be made public.
These changes, published in a government gazette on August 6, are based on determinations made by the president following a resolution adopted by the National Assembly earlier this year.
The adjustments have sparked debate over transparency in political funding. While supporters argue that the new limits align with inflation and economic realities, critics warn that the higher thresholds may allow greater influence from wealthy donors while keeping many contributions hidden from public view.
The matter is still subject to legal and public scrutiny, as questions remain about how these changes will affect accountability and the balance of power in party financing.