PARLIAMENT - The Independent Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) on Thursday told MPs it would need an initial allocation of R11 million to begin implementing new legislation requiring political parties to disclose private funding
"We estimate that for personnel we will need R11 million. That is the bare minimum we think we will be requiring just to kickstart the structure," chief electoral officer Sy Mamabolo told the ad hoc committee on the legislation in the National Council of Provinces.
"Furthermore, there are also additional expenses and structures we need to open offices, advertising, ICT equipment, laptops, printers and other office equipment."
Mamabolo said in the IEC's view, it should be implementing the new legislation ahead of the country's next national elections in the first half of 2019.
"We have elections next year and it would be a lost opportunity if some reporting mechanisms have not been put in place," he said.
The Political Party Funding Bill was approved by the drafting committee in November last year, but is only expected to be adopted by the National Assembly later this year.