Africa-Press – South-Africa. While the ANC will likely have a budget of around R50 million for its December elective conference, its staffers have resorted to protest action as they face another month without their salaries.
ANC staffers did not report for work on Monday and embarked on protest action outside the party’s national and provincial offices across the country.
Most staffers were owed salaries for August and September, while some were owed salaries for July to September, Mandla Qwane, a staff representative, said.
This has been a recurring issue for the ANC in the past two years.
Staffers also have unpaid provident funds and medical aid contributions.
The party’s latest communication to staff members stated that salaries might be paid in the coming weeks, depending on donor engagements.
Qwane said workers had grown even more worried amid indications that the party was set on collecting donations for its December conference.
ANC treasurer-general Paul Mashatile told News24 the conference would likely cost R50 million.
The party’s top leaders were tasked with fundraising.
Qwane told News24 that the party’s leaders had their eyes set on nothing else but the conference.
“We are withdrawing our labour not because we do not want to work, but because we cannot go to work. For you to go to work, you need to have the means. If you do not have the means, do not allow yourself to be exploited. We are trying to save our members from unnecessary stress.
Qwane said:
“How will this happen when the R50 million goes to a conference? There is no thinking about the welfare of staff. It means that whatever money comes in will go to conference and not to staff.”
When the ANC held its policy conference at Nasrec in July, staffers protested outside the venue, pushing for July salaries to be paid.
The party managed to make those payments just in time for the conference.
Mashatile told News24 the party would not focus only on finding funds for the conference, but would focus on paying staff members.
“There is always a worry from certain sectors that we spend money on conferences, yet we fail to pay our staff. Yes, the policy conference cost R17 million, but we paid our staff in July,” Mashatile added.
“So, when we were at the conference, our staff was paid. We got money for the conference, but we also got money to pay staff. We are going to do the same now. We are not going to take all the money and book for the conference and neglect our staff.
“When the finance committee meets next week, it will also be looking for the budget for the payment of staff going forward. We are in a bit of arrears for August, but we will probably pay by next week, and then we will make sure that every month, as we raise money for the conference, we also raise money for staff,” said Mashatile.
Another looming financial problem for the ANC was a statement by the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) in August.
The FSCA said it had an agreement with the ANC staff provident fund that the party was obligated to pay R10 million a month to the fund for the outstanding amount.
Qwane said the ANC had yet to make any payments to the fund, and the party had until 1 October to make the contributions or face possible legal action.
The ANC’s provident fund has 535 members.
For More News And Analysis About South-Africa Follow Africa-Press
