The African National Congress was selling ”face time” with Cabinet ministers and government officials in an effort to raise funds, the Sunday Times reported in its early edition.
The scheme already had 2 000 paid-up members and promised businesses knowledge of ”upcoming government decisions”. It was run from ANC headquarters Albert Luthuli House in Johannesburg where a call centre processed applicants.
It offered ”silver”, ”gold” or ”platinum” membership for between R3 000 and R7 000. Big companies were charged between R12 500 and R60 000.
New members of the scheme received a ”starter pack”, comprising a certificate of membership signed by ANC secretary general Kgalema Motlanthe and a certificate of appreciation from the ANC National Working Committee, said the paper.
Members also received an ”invoice” signed by ANC treasurer general Mendi Msimang.
The Sunday Times quoted an unnamed agent at the call centre as saying that the scheme was ”a private ANC business initiative to assist business people to network with ANC policy makers”. It was also intended to help the country achieve its target of 6% economic growth.
The agent said members of the scheme were better placed to succeed in business than those who were not members. They gained insight into what government was doing and why and learnt of ”upcoming government decisions”, she told the newspaper.
Renier Schoeman, the ANC’s national co-ordinator of corporate liaison, was in charge of the scheme.
ANC treasurer general Mendi Msimang confirmed that ministers and government officials, including directors general, were invited to functions organised exclusively for members of the scheme.
He denied that this amounted to selling access to government officials.
”I do not see anything wrong with it. It is meant to facilitate networking between ordinary business people and those in government. It is all about bringing people together.” He said government officials benefited by being able to identify ”bottlenecks that may be there”.
The paper quoted scheme member and Limpopo businessman Tom Boya as saying that Deputy Minister of Sport and Recreation, Gert Oosthuizen had briefed members about opportunities linked to the Soccer World Cup long before the issue had become public.
”It opens doors and you can also get invited to high-profile ANC activities,” he was quoted as saying. He paid R3 000 a year for his membership.
Party funding expert from the Institute for Democracy in South Africa (Idasa), Richard Calland, was quoted as saying: ”Selling access to power merely serves to allow already privileged people to buy influence in a way the great majority of South Africans cannot”.
Party funding
In 2005, the Cape High Court dismissed Idasa’s plea for a ruling to force parties to disclose the source of their donations.
Judge Benjamin Griesel said Idasa’s arguments were ”compelling” but the Promotion of Access to Information Act did not allow him to grant the application.
In an answering affidavit in the case, the ANC committed itself to the principle of transparency, but argued that taking the matter to court usurped the powers of Parliament. It asked for the dismissal of Idasa’s application ”so as to allow the political and legislative process to follow the proper course necessary for the adoption of a national policy through legislation regulating the funding of political parties”.
Idasa brought the case before the judge in February 2005 after a 14-month stalemate. In November 2003 Idasa asked the Cape High Court to order the ANC, the Democratic Alliance (DA), the New National Party and the Inkatha Freedom Party to disclose donations of R50 000 or more received between January 2003 and May 2004.
The parties refused, saying that forced disclosure would cause donations to dry up. – Sapa