Former public protector Thuli Madonsela has urged President Cyril Ramaphosa to sign off on the Political Party Funding Bill which has reportedly been sitting on his desk since March.
Speaking to Business Day earlier this week Madonsela said signing the bill into law was "a major priority" so that voters know where political parties are obtaining their funding from before they go to the polls next year.
“Especially in the run-up to the elections‚ we need to know who is giving money to who‚” Madonsela said.
In order for the bill to come into effect in time for the 2019 general elections, the president must sign it into law before the end of November.
Madonsela told Business Day that the bill was "extremely important" in ensuring voter rights and enabling greater accountability among parties.
“For me it’s all about capture, it’s about who is giving money to who and… if government is suddenly pandering to the interests of those that have paid large sums of money then as citizens, we need to start knowing about it,” said Madonsela.