CEO of the National Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences (NIHSS), Prof Pearl Sithole, recently participated in the launch of the Journal of African Elections (JAE) Special Issue hosted by the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) in collaboration with the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA) on 6 May 2026.
The Special Issue, titled Sustaining Multi-Party Democracy through Enhancing Political Funding in South Africa, convened scholars, electoral practitioners, policymakers, and governance stakeholders to reflect on the evolving dynamics between political funding, democratic participation, transparency, and institutional accountability within South Africa’s democratic landscape.
Prof Sithole contributed reflections on the broader societal implications of political funding, democratic participation, and citizen confidence in democratic systems. In her remarks, she highlighted the importance of examining political funding not only as a governance or electoral issue, but also through the lens of social cohesion, inequality, youth participation, development aspirations, and the lived realities of citizens. She further emphasised the need for democratic investment to produce meaningful societal outcomes that strengthen public trust and participation within democratic institutions.
Her participation in the engagement reflects the important contribution of the Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) in shaping critical national conversations around democracy, governance, political systems, citizenship, ethics, and societal development. Within the HSS space, discussions on political funding and democratic accountability extend beyond technical electoral processes and engage deeper questions relating to social justice, public participation, ideology, institutional legitimacy, and the broader trajectories of society.
The Special Issue further interrogates critical questions shaping electoral integrity and democratic participation across the continent, including corporate financing of political parties, the persistence of vote buying in both law and practice, and the evolving role of public funding and regulatory frameworks within democratic systems.
Contributors to the publication include the Electoral Commission’s Chief Electoral Officer, Mr Sy Mamabolo; Dr Victor Shale; Mr George Mahlangu, Chief Executive for Political Funding; and leading scholars and researchers such as Dr Moeketsi Kali from the Strategic Institute for Research and Development, Professor Khabele Matlosa of the University of Johannesburg, and Dr Ben Roberts of the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC). The breadth of contributors reflects the interdisciplinary and policy-relevant nature of the publication and its contribution to ongoing democratic governance discourse within South Africa and the broader African context.
The event further underscored the role of interdisciplinary scholarship and public intellectual engagement in strengthening democratic discourse across South Africa and the African continent. For the NIHSS, participation in such platforms aligns with its broader commitment to advancing socially responsive scholarship and supporting critical engagement on issues that shape society, governance, and the future of democracy.
To see more on what transpired during the Journal of African Elections Special Issue Launch, including reflections and discussions from participants, visit the official livestream and event coverage on YouTube… 🚨 LIVE | Journal of African Elections — Special Issue Launch | Political Funding & Democracy in SA
To further explore the Special Issue of the Journal of African Elections, including published contributions and discussions on political funding and democracy in South Africa, please see the e-journal link. 2026-journal-of-african-elections-v25n1-eisa.pdf
