The party’s treasurer-general, Leigh-Ann Mathys, told reporters that the organisation had no external funders. 

The six-year-old party is convening its second National People’s Assembly amid talks of heightened contestations.

Mathys dismissed questions about whether the party’s elective conference was being funded by ill-gotten gains from the now-defunct VBS Mutual Bank. 

“We have increased our seats in Parliament. It’s pretty much double. In all our legislatures, from Parliament, the IEC and provincial legislature have pretty much doubled since June 2014. Our expenses have not [increased] so we have managed our money well.”

She added that instead, the party was relying only on funds collected through its statutory bodies. 

Over 3,800 delegates are expected to attend the conference, with the party’s leaders confirming that political parties which were inspired by the EFF on the continent, were among its expected guests. 

Eyewitness News