What is CHANCELLOR HOUSE TRUST?
CHANCELLOR HOUSE TRUST
Trust, investment
- The ANCAs declared to the IEC
R2 000 000
October to December 2025
This donor gave the ANC 1 donation worth R2 000 000, as declared to the (IEC The Electoral Commission of South Africa. It runs elections. It is independent, so it does not take orders from the government or any party.). It was made between October and December 2025.
The Mail & Guardian reported that its first trustees, the people who run a trust, were senior ANC figures. Its company once held 25% of Hitachi Power Africa. That firm won boiler contracts for two Eskom power stations, each worth over R20 billion.
Who is behind it?
We found no owners or directors in an official register or in major news outlets.
What did the parties declare?
Every donation the ANC told the (IEC The Electoral Commission of South Africa. It runs elections. It is independent, so it does not take orders from the government or any party.) about, as the IEC published it, newest first. Cash and (Goods or services Things given to a party instead of cash. Examples are paying its bills, lending it things to use, or paying for a venue or staff.) are shown apart.
October to December 2025
- Cash
- R2 000 000
- Goods or services
- None
What has been reported?
Daily Maverick31 May 2026
Daily Maverick called the Chancellor House Trust the ANC's investment arm in May 2026.
Read the report ↗Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC)28 August 2025
The (IEC The Electoral Commission of South Africa. It runs elections. It is independent, so it does not take orders from the government or any party.) said in August 2025 that all of the ANC's R7 661 000 in declared gifts that quarter came from Chancellor House. It called the trust "a regular donor to the party".
Read the report ↗Daily Maverick13 March 2024
Daily Maverick reported in 2024 that Chancellor House gave money only to the ANC. So all its declared political gifts went to one (Party A group of people who stand for election together, with shared plans.).
Read the report ↗TimesLIVE31 August 2023
TimesLIVE wrote in August 2023: "Chancellor House is ANC’s investment arm."
Read the report ↗SABC News19 November 2021
SABC News reported in November 2021 that the DA complained to the IEC about a R15 million Chancellor House gift to the ANC. We found no IEC ruling on that complaint.
Read the report ↗Mail & Guardian29 September 2015
In 2015 the US market regulator, the SEC, charged Japan's Hitachi with wrongly recording "improper payments to the ANC" linked to these contracts. Hitachi agreed to pay $19 million to settle. The charges were against Hitachi, not the ANC.
Read the report ↗Mail & Guardian29 September 2015
The Mail & Guardian reported that on 28 February 2014 Hitachi agreed to buy Chancellor House's stake in Hitachi Power Africa.
Read the report ↗Mail & Guardian11 September 2015
The Mail & Guardian reported in 2015 that the Chancellor House Trust wholly owns Chancellor House Holdings. It said the trust's first trustees were senior ANC figures. So the people who first ran the trust were ANC leaders.
Read the report ↗Mail & Guardian11 September 2015
In the same report, ANC spokesperson Zizi Kodwa said: "The ANC doesn’t run Chancellor House".
Read the report ↗Mail & Guardian11 September 2015
The Mail & Guardian reported that Chancellor House held 25% of Hitachi Power Africa. In 2007 that firm won the boiler contracts for Eskom's Medupi and Kusile power stations, each worth over R20 billion. Eskom is the state power company.
Read the report ↗Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC)
The IEC said the trust gave the ANC R2 million on 4 November 2025 and declared it on time. The ANC reported it only on 2 February 2026, after the legal deadline.
Read the report ↗
Tap a year to see its reports.
Does it have documented links abroad?
CountryJapan
US case about Hitachi's stake
Chancellor House Holdings once owned part of Hitachi Power Africa, a South African company run by Hitachi, a Japanese firm, the Mail & Guardian reported. In 2015, a US regulator, the Securities and Exchange Commission or SEC, charged Hitachi. The SEC said Hitachi sold a 25% share to a company that served as a front for the ANC. The Mail & Guardian named the two companies. A front is a body that acts for someone while looking separate. Hitachi agreed to pay $19 million to end the case with a deal.
Mail & Guardian, 29 September 2015 ↗Hitachi agreed to buy its stake
The Mail & Guardian reported that on 28 February 2014, Hitachi agreed to buy Chancellor House's share in Hitachi Power Africa. This means Chancellor House would no longer own part of that company.
Mail & Guardian, 29 September 2015 ↗