Checked 27 October 2026
Where the facts about this donor come from
Every fact on the donor page, with the sources we used. We save a copy of each source on the day we read it.
What did the parties declare?
The IEC funding reports
This donor gave the DA 7 donations worth R3 305 506, as declared to the IEC. They were made between July 2025 and June 2026.
Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). Published 28 November 2025.
Where to look: The table of donations the parties declared (section 9(1)) and the late declarations table, under the party that declared it
Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). Published 27 February 2026.
Where to look: The table of donations the parties declared (section 9(1)) and the late declarations table, under the party that declared it
Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). Published 29 May 2026.
Where to look: The table of donations the parties declared (section 9(1)) and the late declarations table, under the party that declared it
Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). Published 27 August 2026.
Where to look: The table of donations the parties declared (section 9(1)) and the late declarations table, under the party that declared it
What has been reported?
Official records and news
The foundation's audited accounts for 2023 show €83 755 628 in income. Of that, €79 992 471 was grants from Germany's national government. So most of its money is German government money.
Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (audited by WirtschaftsTreuhand GmbH). The page has no date.
Where to look: Ertrags- und Aufwandsrechnung 2023, line 1 "Zuwendungen und Zuschüsse": "Bundeszuschüsse 79.992.470,58"; "Landeszuschüsse 891.582,75"; "sonstige Zuschüsse 388.870,28"; "Erträge gesamt 83.755.628,48"
Its 2024 annual report calls the FDP, a German party, "der befreundeten Partei". In English that means "the friendly party".
Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom. The page has no date.
Where to look: PDF page 14, tribute to former chair Dr. Wolfgang Gerhardt: "in der befreundeten Partei, der FDP, genauso wie in der Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung für die Freiheit"
The foundation says its head office is in Potsdam, Germany. It says it has offices in more than 60 countries.
Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom. The page has no date.
Where to look: Intro: "Based on the principles of liberalism, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom offers political education in Germany and abroad"; "Our headquarter is based in Potsdam"
The foundation says it works in Africa from offices in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Nairobi, Abidjan and Dakar.
Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom. The page has no date.
Where to look: Intro: "From our offices in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Nairobi, Abidjan and Dakar, we support partners in several African countries"
The foundation says that in Cape Town it works with DA members of Parliament and provincial parliaments, DA councillors and youth groups.
Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom. The page has no date.
Where to look: Page text: "In Cape Town, the seat of the parliament, the foundation cooperates with the Democratic Alliance members of national and provincial parliaments, local government councillors, youth movements, and their support structures"
An article on its website says many younger DA leaders came through the DA Young Leaders Programme, which the foundation supports. The same page, from August 2026, is an opinion piece on the DA's manifesto.
Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (author William Sezoe). Published 26 August 2026.
Where to look: Label "Opinion"; first paragraph: "South Africa’s strongest liberal political party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), recently unveiled its manifesto for the upcoming local government elections in Johannesburg."; fourth paragraph: "Many of the party’s younger leaders have come through the DA Young Leaders Programme, an initiative supported by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) to develop young people interested in public leadership."
Daily Maverick says its Democracy 2026 newsletter "is supported with funding from the Friedrich Naumann Foundation". So the foundation that helps the DA also helps pay for some election news.
Daily Maverick. Published 27 October 2026.
Where to look: Line under the author name and date, above "Hi ,": "Daily Maverick’s Democracy 2026 newsletter is supported with funding from the Friedrich Naumann Foundation."
Daily Maverick says no single donor gives more than 5% of its income. It says no funder or donor is involved in its editorial decisions, which means what it chooses to report.
Daily Maverick. The page has no date.
Where to look: Section "How we’re funded": "No individual donor contributes more than 5% of our total income."; section "Strategy and direction": "No advertisers, members, grant funders, donors or shareholders are involved in day-to-day or long-term editorial decisions."
News24 reported in August 2022 that the IEC said the DA's foreign donations that quarter were used for training or skills development.
News24. Published 30 August 2022.
Where to look: DA section: "Capitec founder Michiel le Roux is a director of Fynbos Ekwiteit"; "the Friedrich Naumann Foundation, a German foundation"; IEC: "these donations were used for the purposes of training or skills development"
The IEC said in February 2026 that the foundation and the Danish Liberal Democracy Programme are "regular donors to the party", meaning the DA.
Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). Published 27 February 2026.
Where to look: "Democratic Alliance (DA) – R 31 289 988.26", paragraph 3: "Notable contributors include the Friedrich Naumann Foundation (R1 107 148.24) and the Danish Liberal Democracy Programme (R 1 137 811.53), which are regular donors to the party."
The IEC said in May 2026 that its gifts to the DA were "foreign-linked" and "appear to be in line with permissible foreign donations". So the IEC found they seem to be allowed.
Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). Published 29 May 2026.
Where to look: "b) Democratic Alliance (DA) – R57 317 303.55", paragraph 5: "The declarations also included foreign-linked donations from the Danish Liberal Democracy Programme and FNF. These donations appear to be in line with permissible foreign donations."
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