---
title: "Watch – How tax money funded SA's political parties for up to R2.1bn last year"
description: "South Africans collectively contributed more than R2.1 billion to political parties last year, whether they wanted to or not. Rebecca Davis, senior journalist at Daily Maverick, breaks down a new report by My Vote Counts, showing how taxpayers’ money flows to parties through the IEC, Parliament, and provincial legislatures. Here are nine key takeaways every voter should know."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "VIDEO"
author: "Rebecca Davis"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/rebeccadavis-2-2/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-10-03-watch-your-tax-money-their-politics/"
published: "2025-10-03T12:02:08"
updated: "2025-10-03T15:33:50"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 41
---

# Watch – How tax money funded SA's political parties for up to R2.1bn last year

> South Africans collectively contributed more than R2.1 billion to political parties last year, whether they wanted to or not. Rebecca Davis, senior journalist at Daily Maverick, breaks down a new report by My Vote Counts, showing how taxpayers’ money flows to parties through the IEC, Parliament, and provincial legislatures. Here are nine key takeaways every voter should know.

By Rebecca Davis · Published 3 October 2025, 14:02 SAST · Updated 3 October 2025, 17:33 SAST

## Key points
- In a world where political promises are as reliable as a chocolate teapot, our latest report dives into the murky waters of governance, revealing that sometimes, the only thing thicker than the air of accountability is the bureaucracy itself.
- Rebecca Davis reports on the latest developments impacting democracy in South Africa.
- The video features insights from various experts, emphasizing the importance of informed citizenry.
- Filmed and edited by a skilled team, including Bernard Kotze and Joel Seboa, ensuring high production quality.
- Support independent journalism by becoming a Maverick Insider and subscribing to the Daily Maverick YouTube channel.

## Content

[YouTube video: "YouTube video"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXCepVnxp1E)

Reporting by: Rebecca Davis
Edited by: Joel Seboa
Filmed by: Bernard Kotze & Joel Seboa
Produced by: Emilie Gambade
Sub-edited by: Kevin Flynn

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