A legal expert says the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality will not be able to provide funding for political parties as is done on a national and political level.
Senior counsel, Matthew Chaskalson, provided expert opinion to the Metro following a proposal that the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality provide funding for political parties from its own coffers.
In his opinion, which is annexed to a document to come before Council today, Chaskalson says neither the Constitution nor local government legislation authorises the municipality to provide such funding.
He also says its not possible for the municipality to lawfully adopt a policy or pass by-laws to regulate the provision of funding for political parties.
Chaskalson says the Constitution regulates the public funding of political parties to reduce the risk of the governing party diverting public funds to itself and thus entrenching their political positions.
