ANC employees across SA’s nine provinces will embark on a wildcat strike on Thursday over non-payment of salaries.
ANC spokesperson, Pule Mabe, confirmed on Wednesday night that ANC management has received notice from as from tomorrow August 26 2021 (Thursday) ANC employees will go on strike ‘in support of grievances submitted in 15 June 2021, including late payments of salaries.’
“As a result of this wildcat strike, ANC officials throughout the country will be closed as of tomorrow,” said Mabe.
“The ANC management will continue to engage with staff representatives on their grievances, with a view to find a solution, so that we can resume normal operations.”
In recent months, the ANC has been unable to pay staff benefits to provident and pension funds, despite making deductions from their salaries.
The governing party also owes the South African Revenue Service (SARS) millions in PAYE deductions.
The party has previously admitted to having cash flow problems and not being able to meet its monthly obligations.
In a letter on Wednesday, the ANC general manager Febe Potgieter-Gqubule informed staff the party would not pay their salaries for August, in addition to the outstanding salaries for July.
“This is to indicate that we are not yet in a position to pay outstanding salaries for July 2021. Unfortunately, August 2021 salaries, due on the 25th of this month, are also delayed. I do regret the hardship and the uncertainty that this cause staff and their families, and this is deeply regrettable,” said Potgieter-Gqubule.
The general manager said the ANC had been able to pay staff over the first 14 months of the Covid-19 pandemic.
She said the party said was behind by three months for the first time.
“The ANC over the first fourteen months, despite the challenges of the pandemic and a challenging economic situation, has kept its commitment to staff to pay full salaries each month, albeit late. This is the first time that we are delayed with three months of payments,” said Potgieter-Gqubule.
“We appreciate the commitment and dedication of ANC staff, who despite these difficulties, diligently serve their organisation. We will continue to communicate on this matter as information becomes available.”
The ANC has repeatedly blamed the new Political Party Funding Act for the struggles of it paying staff salaries on time.
ANC treasurer-general Paul Mashatile previously denied the party was bankrupt, saying the Political Party Funding Act – which came into effect on 1 April – had an impact on the party’s coffers.
Mashatile said this did not mean the ANC was bankrupt as funding from its donors had been “trickling in as opposed to previous years”.
“Since the advent of the new law, there has been a great reluctance from many businesses to donate because of disclosure. So, as a result, we have struggled to get money in time as opposed to previous years,” Mashatile said.
- Inside Politics
