By Marcus Moloko
Tensions flared outside the Birchwood Conference Centre on Monday as members of the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (NEHAWU) led a demonstration over unpaid salaries for ANC staff.
The chants had even former North West ANC Premier Supra Mahumapelo attempting to calm demonstrators.
The protest coincides with the opening of the ANC’s 5th National General Council, where the party’s top leadership has gathered to deliberate on policy and organisational matters.
Workers from Luthuli House arrived in Boksburg carrying placards and chanting slogans.
NEHAWU said staff have been left in financial distress, with medical aid contributions suspended and schools refusing to release learners’ reports due to non-payment.
The NEHAWU Luthuli House branch deputy secretary, Dan Semenya, said the demonstration was based on three issues around provident and cost contributions that have not been paid for almost six months.
- Footage by Sipho Kekana
He added that the suspension of medical aid has left workers humiliated and vulnerable.
“In recent weeks, our members have gone to doctors or medical institutions only to be told their membership has been suspended. The problem is that there is no effort from leadership or management to communicate properly when these things happen. These issues disrupt our lives, affect the health of our families, and undermine the pensions of our members.”
He said this was not a new crisis.
“If you remember, in July 2022, during the policy conference at Nasrec, we were at the same doorstep with the same issues. To this day, leadership has failed to address them. Picketing here is to send a message to the broader ANC leadership, from branch to national, to appeal to their conscience.
“The ANC cannot claim to be a caring organisation when it fails internally to do the necessary things for its workers,” he said.
“We are very confident. Delegates from different branches are here, and I don’t think it is well for the ANC’s image to ignore this.”
The demonstrators said their goal was not to sabotage the NGC.
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