What is WESTMINSTER FOUNDATION FOR DEMOCRACY?
WESTMINSTER FOUNDATION FOR DEMOCRACY
Organisation, democracy support
- The IFPAs declared to the IEC
R186 726
July to September 2025
This donor gave the IFP 1 donation worth R186 726, 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 July and September 2025.
In 2025-26 that ministry gave it £8.5 million in core funding and £5.23 million more for other projects, its accounts say. It pays UK (Party A group of people who stand for election together, with shared plans.) to train parties abroad, including the IFP.
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 IFP 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.
July to September 2025
- Cash
- None
- Goods or services
- R186 726
What has been reported?
Westminster Foundation for Democracy13 July 2026
WFD's 2025-26 accounts say the FCDO gave it £8.5 million in core funding that year. They say the FCDO paid it another £5.23 million for other projects. So its money comes from the UK government.
Read the report ↗Westminster Foundation for Democracy13 July 2026
WFD's 2025-26 accounts say the UK Conservative Party's WFD programme gave the IFP "party-to-party training focused on the specifics of regional elections". WFD spent £430,691 on that programme across several countries.
Read the report ↗Westminster Foundation for Democracy10 July 2025
WFD's 2024-25 report says that after its training, the IFP set up a broadcasting suite and named a public-speaking trainer.
Read the report ↗Westminster Foundation for Democracy10 July 2025
The same report says WFD ran a women's leadership summit "in partnership with the African Liberal Network".
Read the report ↗South African Government23 January 2019
South Africa's (Party A group of people who stand for election together, with shared plans.) funding law bans gifts from foreign governments and their agencies. So 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.) was checking whether WFD counts as one.
Read the report ↗Westminster Foundation for Democracy
WFD says it is "the UK public body dedicated to strengthening democracy and open societies around the world". It says the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the foreign ministry, sponsors it.
Read the report ↗Westminster Foundation for Democracy
WFD says a board of (MP (Member of Parliament) A person who sits in Parliament, which makes South Africa's laws. They are not chosen in this local election.) from the main UK parties and independent experts runs it. It says the FCDO gives most of its money.
Read the report ↗Westminster Foundation for Democracy
WFD says it answers to the UK (Parliament South Africa's national law-makers, in Cape Town. It has two parts, the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces.) and is checked by the UK National Audit Office.
Read the report ↗Africa Liberal Network
The Africa Liberal Network lists the DA as its member party in South Africa.
Read the report ↗Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC)
The IEC said the IFP declared R186 726 from WFD in July to September 2025. It said the gift paid for a workshop on volunteers and branch structures.
Read the report ↗Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC)
The IEC said this gift needed a closer look because WFD "may be a foreign, state-related entity". It said the IFP could put its side.
Read the report ↗
Tap a year to see its reports.
Does it have documented links abroad?
CountryUnited Kingdom
A UK public body
WFD says it is a UK public body. It says the UK's foreign affairs department, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, sponsors it and gives it most of its money. A board runs it, with (MP (Member of Parliament) A person who sits in Parliament, which makes South Africa's laws. They are not chosen in this local election.) from the main UK (Party A group of people who stand for election together, with shared plans.) and independent experts.
Westminster Foundation for Democracy ↗The IEC wanted a closer look
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 the IFP's R186 726 donation from WFD needed further consideration. This means it needed a closer look. The donation falls in July to September 2025. The IEC gave a reason. It said WFD "may be a foreign, state-related entity". State-related means linked to a government.
Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) ↗Paid by the UK government
WFD's 2025-26 accounts say it got £8.5 million in core funding from the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). The FCDO paid it another £5.23 million for other projects.
Westminster Foundation for Democracy, 13 July 2026 ↗Trains the IFP through UK Conservatives
WFD pays UK parties to run programmes abroad. Its accounts say the Conservative Party's WFD programme gave the IFP "party-to-party training focused on the specifics of regional elections". WFD spent £430,691 on that programme in 2025-26, across several countries.
Westminster Foundation for Democracy, 13 July 2026 ↗Works with the Africa Liberal Network
WFD's 2024-25 report says it ran a women's leadership summit "in partnership with the African Liberal Network".
Westminster Foundation for Democracy, 10 July 2025 ↗