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 Rise Mzansi 1 donation worth R30 000 000, as declared to the IEC. It was made between January and March 2026.
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
What has been reported?
Official records and news
The IEC said in August 2024 that We Are The People is a voluntary association. It said its constitution aims to get citizens to take part in democratic governance and elections.
Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). Published 30 August 2024.
Where to look: GOOD paragraph: "a voluntary association established to, among others, mobilise citizens to continuously participate in democratic governance and elections, according to its constitution"; next sentence: "should not be confused with another entity going by an almost similar name"; "The other donation was valued at R500 000 received from an entity named “We Are the People”"; Rise Mzansi paragraph: "“We Are The People”, a repeat donor to the same party having donated a maximum R15 000 000 to the party in the fourth quarter of the 2023/24 financial year, made another maximum donation of R15 000 000"
The IEC said it should not be confused with a different group with a similar name, "WeThePeopleSA".
Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). Published 30 August 2024.
Where to look: GOOD paragraph: "a voluntary association established to, among others, mobilise citizens to continuously participate in democratic governance and elections, according to its constitution"; next sentence: "should not be confused with another entity going by an almost similar name"; "The other donation was valued at R500 000 received from an entity named “We Are the People”"; Rise Mzansi paragraph: "“We Are The People”, a repeat donor to the same party having donated a maximum R15 000 000 to the party in the fourth quarter of the 2023/24 financial year, made another maximum donation of R15 000 000"
The IEC said it gave Rise Mzansi R15 million in January to March 2024 and another R15 million in April to June 2024. The IEC called each one a "maximum" donation, the most the law then allowed.
Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). Published 30 August 2024.
Where to look: GOOD paragraph: "a voluntary association established to, among others, mobilise citizens to continuously participate in democratic governance and elections, according to its constitution"; next sentence: "should not be confused with another entity going by an almost similar name"; "The other donation was valued at R500 000 received from an entity named “We Are the People”"; Rise Mzansi paragraph: "“We Are The People”, a repeat donor to the same party having donated a maximum R15 000 000 to the party in the fourth quarter of the 2023/24 financial year, made another maximum donation of R15 000 000"
The IEC said it also gave the UDM R500 000 in January to March 2024.
Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). The page has no date.
Where to look: Rise Mzansi paragraph: "The largest donation was received from a voluntary organisation named We Are the People, at R15 000 000"; UDM paragraph: "We Are the People (R500 000)"
The IEC said it gave GOOD R500 000 in April to June 2024. So it has given to at least three parties.
Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). Published 30 August 2024.
Where to look: GOOD paragraph: "a voluntary association established to, among others, mobilise citizens to continuously participate in democratic governance and elections, according to its constitution"; next sentence: "should not be confused with another entity going by an almost similar name"; "The other donation was valued at R500 000 received from an entity named “We Are the People”"; Rise Mzansi paragraph: "“We Are The People”, a repeat donor to the same party having donated a maximum R15 000 000 to the party in the fourth quarter of the 2023/24 financial year, made another maximum donation of R15 000 000"
The IEC said on 29 May 2026 that Rise Mzansi's R30 million declaration was an earlier loan turned into a donation. It said the terms still had to be made clear.
Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). Published 29 May 2026.
Where to look: "Overview of Declarations", paragraph after the list: "The R30 million declaration made by RISE Mzansi represents a conversion of a previous loan into donation. The terms of this conversion are still to be clarified by the Commission."
Business Day reported that Rise Mzansi said it took several loans from We Are The People in 2023/24 to pay election costs. The party said it then negotiated to have them written off, which means cancelled.
Business Day. Published 3 June 2026.
Where to look: Paragraph quoting Mabine Seabe: "in 2023/24 the party took several loans with WATP to cover its election expenses"; quote: "We therefore negotiated with WATP to write off those loans."
Business Report reported in June 2026 on what Rise Mzansi leader Songezo Zibi said about the loan. He said the party paid more than R1 million back on the loan, could not pay the rest, and it was written off.
IOL. Published 27 June 2026.
Where to look: Body: "Zibi said the loan was originally obtained from the organisation “We Are The People” to fund the party's 2024 election campaign. The debt was later written off after the party struggled to repay it. He said the party had paid more than R1 million towards servicing the loan but was unable to settle the outstanding balance."
EWN reported that Zibi said only one of the loans still needed paperwork for the IEC.
EWN. Published 2 June 2026.
Where to look: Zibi quote: "All that happened is that the loans have been written off. There is one where they needed to see specific paperwork. That is still in process."
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