MOGOENG CJ “consider taking appropriate legislative and administrative measures consistent with the objectives of this Convention and in accordance with the fundamental principles of its domestic law, to enhance transparency in the funding of candidatures for elected public office and, where applicable, the funding of political parties.”40 [50] In the same vein, the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption, which we have also ratified, says: “Each State Party shall adopt legislative and other measures to: (a) Proscribe the use of funds acquired through illegal and corrupt practices to finance political parties; and (b) Incorporate the principle of transparency into funding of political parties.”41 [51] Transparency in the area of the private funding of political parties and independent candidates helps in the detection or discouragement of improper influence and the fight against corruption.42 Both the African Union and the United Nations have come to this realisation and have taken appropriate steps to help inject transparency and root out corruption in relation to private funding. Politicians who use public office in the furtherance of the agendas of benefactors, at the expense of the best interests of all, are very likely to be found out where there is transparency. The recordal, preservation and disclosure of information on the private funding of political players will thus keep voters better-equipped to make out the real interests these politicians are likely to serve. [52] Access to this information helps voters and contestants to speak against and expose the corrupt “pay-back-time” political practices. The known possibility of voters and political rivals being able to make the necessary connection between 40 Article 7(3) of the United Nations Convention against Corruption, 11 October 2004. 41 Article 10 of the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption, 11 July 2003. 42 OECD Financing Democracy: Funding of Political Parties and Election Campaigns and the Risk of Policy Capture (OECD Publishing, Paris 2016), available at http://transparenz-ja.ch/wpcontent/uploads/sites/65/2016/04/Financing-Democracy-OECD.pdf. 20