By Seth Thorne
Members of South Africa’s Oppenheimer family, long known for their influence in mining and business, have quietly become the largest declared private funders of political parties in democratic South Africa.
According to official data from the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) and My Vote Counts, six descendants of the Oppenheimer dynasty have collectively donated more than R200 million to six different political parties since political funding transparency laws came into effect in 2021.
This makes the Oppenheimers the most significant source of declared political donations since the Political Party Funding Act took effect.
Oppenheimer Donations: Who Got What
IEC disclosures show that South African political parties have declared R880.7 million in total donations above the legal threshold since 2021/22.
Of this amount, six Oppenheimer descendants — Mary Slack, Nicholas Oppenheimer, Jonathan Oppenheimer, Jessica Slack-Jell, Rebecca Oppenheimer, and Victoria Freudenheim — contributed over R200 million to the following parties:
| Political Party | Amount Donated | Oppenheimer Family Donors |
| Democratic Alliance (DA) | R62.5 million | Mary, Jonathan, Nicholas, Jessica |
| Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) | R50 million | Jonathan |
| ActionSA | R45.75 million | Jessica, Rebecca, Victoria |
| RISE Mzansi | R30 million | Rebecca |
| Build One South Africa (BOSA) | R12 million | Mary, Jessica |
| United Democratic Movement (UDM) | R1 million | Mary |
From Diamonds to Democracy: The Oppenheimer Legacy
The Oppenheimers are an Anglo–South African dynasty that rose to prominence through Anglo American and De Beers — both founded and controlled by the family for much of the 20th century.
- Ernest Oppenheimer founded Anglo American in 1917 and took over De Beers in 1929.
- His son Harry Oppenheimer led De Beers from 1957 and expanded the family’s business empire.
- The family’s influence continued under Nicholas Oppenheimer, who sold De Beers’ 40% stake to Anglo American in 2012 for $5.1 billion, marking a shift toward philanthropy and investment diversification.
Inside the Oppenheimer Political Funding Network
Mary Slack
The eldest child of Harry Oppenheimer, Mary Slack is a philanthropist and businesswoman who runs Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein Stud Farms.
She has donated R32 million since 2021, including:
- R25 million to the DA
- R6 million to BOSA
- R1 million to the UDM
Nicholas Oppenheimer
Former De Beers chairman and Anglo American deputy chairman, Nicholas Oppenheimer is currently worth an estimated $10.4 billion (R180 billion).
Since 2021, he has contributed R35.5 million to two parties:
- The DA
- The IFP
Jonathan Oppenheimer
The son of Nicholas and heir to the Oppenheimer fortune, Jonathan Oppenheimer chairs Oppenheimer Generations and founded the Brenthurst Foundation.
Between 2023 and 2025, he donated R50 million split equally between the DA (R25 million) and IFP (R25 million).
Jessica Slack-Jell
A businesswoman managing the family’s Mauritzfontein Stud, Jessica Slack-Jell has donated R19.33 million since 2021:
- R11.33 million to ActionSA
- R6 million to BOSA
- R2 million to DA
Rebecca Oppenheimer
A writer and philanthropist, Rebecca Oppenheimer has given R33.33 million to two parties:
- R3.33 million to ActionSA
- R30 million to RISE Mzansi
Victoria Freudenheim (née Oppenheimer)
A director of Mary Oppenheimer Daughters (MOD) in the UK, Victoria Freudenheim has donated R31.08 million exclusively to ActionSA since 2021.
Transparency and the Political Funding Act
Until recently, political party funding in South Africa was largely secret.
This changed after a 2018 Constitutional Court ruling that compelled Parliament to legislate for transparency – leading to the Political Party Funding Act (PPFA) of 2021.
Under this law:
- Donations above R100,000 (now R200,000) must be publicly declared.
- Each donor can contribute a maximum of R30 million per party annually.
- The IEC oversees disclosures, and all reports are publicly available.
However, smaller donations below the threshold remain undisclosed, meaning the true scale of private political funding is likely much higher than what’s visible in IEC reports.
Oppenheimers’ Influence: Business, Philanthropy, and Politics
The Oppenheimers have long maintained that their donations are aimed at strengthening democracy rather than buying influence.
Their Brenthurst Foundation, for instance, supports policy research and economic reform advocacy across Africa.
Still, their growing political contributions raise questions about elite influence in shaping South Africa’s political future – particularly as new entrants like RISE Mzansi and BOSA gain traction ahead of the 2026 elections.
Key Takeaways
- Over R200 million donated by six Oppenheimer family members since 2021.
- Six political parties benefited — DA, IFP, ActionSA, RISE Mzansi, BOSA, and UDM.
- DA (R62.5 million) and IFP (R50 million) received the largest contributions.
- Donations disclosed under Political Party Funding Act transparency rules.
- True total funding likely exceeds disclosed amounts due to smaller unreported donations.
