A financial discrepancy of R8-million sits at the heart of a rapidly escalating political storm in the Western Cape, where disputed documents alleging that the Ukrainian Association of South Africa (UAZA) received more than R10-million in government grants have turned into political ammunition ahead of the 2026 elections.
According to the organisation’s official audited statements, which UAZA supplied to Sunday World, its total revenue for the period was under R2-million, with no government grants, no DA-linked funding, and no partnerships resembling those listed in the viral pages spreading across social media.
Political circles abuzz with saga
That leaves one burning question of how a sub–R2-million income transforms into more than R10-million in documents tearing through political circles?
UAZA president Kateryna Aloshyna has dismissed the viral pages as “fake” and part of a “broader smear campaign”.
“Our audited financials reflect income of less than R2-million. The circulating pages are not ours,” she insisted.
This flare-up is not the first time the diaspora NGO has found itself under the microscope. The organisation, previously blamed by critics for allegedly orchestrating paid protests and linked to controversy at the Nelson Mandela monument, became even more entangled in suspicion last week when it rushed to upload historical reports onto its website.
This sudden move followed a formal request for comment from a journalist.
In South Africa’s NGO environment, transparency and easily accessible financials are the norm. The timing of UAZA’s hurried uploads has raised eyebrows in civil society and political circles.
Compounding the confusion is the auditing firm named in the disputed documents. The auditors have denied any involvement. They have stated that the pages circulating online do not resemble their formats, figures, or standards.
However, industry observers described the auditor’s immediate and unusually rapid response as “strange”. Almost as if the firm had been pre-warned that media questions were coming.
DA fears smear campaign by rivals
In an already politically charged Western Cape, the contested documents are being interpreted by some as political strategy. The DA, which is listed as a “partner” in the disputed pages, has strongly denied any association.
“The Democratic Alliance has no agreement with the UAZA. And it has not provided any financial assistance to the organisation,” the party said.
Behind closed doors, some DA insiders reportedly fear that the inflated R10-million claim may have been manufactured to damage the party ahead of next year’s fiercely contested polls.
With UAZA, the DA and the auditors are all distancing themselves from the explosive documents. As such, the origin of the claims remains a mystery. No evidence has been presented to confirm whether any government agency or municipality ever disbursed grants of this magnitude to Eastern European diaspora organisations, including UAZA, during the 2023/24 fiscal year.
