The introduction of the Political Party Funding Act (PPFA) in January 2019 was welcomed by South Africans at large, with many believing that it would assist in the fight against negative influences of private money in elections. The legislation, which was signed into law two years ago, provides the mechanisms needed to ensure transparency in who funds political parties and will come into effect in April.

In this conversation, we contrast this act with what is happening in other countries globally, investigate its challenges, if any, and look into the key gaps of the act and delve into what this development means for South Africa’s electoral system. We are joined by Noxolo Gwala, programme officer in the Elections and Political Processes Department at the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa, and Hajra Omarjee, POWER 98.7 political editor.