ANC staff members have been paid salaries up-to-date while those in the Free State and North West have allegedly still not been paid.
AFRICAN National Congress staff members have been paid salaries up-to-date while those in the Free State and North West have allegedly still not been paid.
In January, ANC Staff Representative Committee national chairperson Mvusi Mdala told IOL that members had intended staging a stay away until their salary woes come to an end.
“We will stay away until all our issues are resolved. It’s not a stay away for a week. It’s indefinite. We will stay, away even next week, unless we are paid,” Mdala said at the time.
He confirmed with IOL on Thursday that they were eventually forced to abandon their ‘tools down’ campaign after allegedly receiving threats from the management.
“In February, we had to down tools. We received a threat from the management of no work, no pay. We then decided to end the stay away because we did not want to be subjected to non-payment when workers had already suffered a lot.”
“I think the attitude of the management was to evoke a no work, no pay which did not consider the welfare of staff members,” he said.
Mdala also highlighted that members in the Free State and the North West were last paid in December and have not received their salaries since then.
He also said some employees in the Free State still had a backlog in salaries dating back to July last year.
According to Mdala, while queries were lodged with management, no communication has been forthcoming over their salaries.
“Going forward, we will engage with the union and see what steps to be taken to enforce the employer to comply,” he said.
Meanwhile, North West ANC provincial membership officer and staff representative committee member Connie Nhlapo also confirmed that their January and February salaries were not paid.
“There’s no communication from the leadership management”, she said.
She added: “We are not coping. We don’t even set alarms because creditors will call you as early as 06h00 in the morning and remind you of your debts. Our policies have lapsed, cars are to be repossessed any time, and some have been evicted from their rental place.”
Nhlapho further said: “It’s a very miserable life. ANC says “a better life for all” but it’s a very miserable life. I don’t want to lie.“
She highlighted that owing to the inconsistencies in receiving her salary, she has moved back to her hometown in Potchefstroom because there’s no means of living.
“I survive on my last born’s money, the R350 from SASSA,” she said.
ANC national spokesperson Pule Mabe failed to respond to requests for comment.
Political Bureau
