’Disappointing is an understatement, I don’t know how to describe the conduct and behaviour of the ANC.’
ANC EMPLOYEES face a bleak festive season as they continue to wait for their salaries to be paid despite staging protests outside Luthuli House.
ANC staff representative committee chairperson Mvusi Mdala confirmed in an interview with Independent Media that their salaries have not been paid as yet.
“Our salaries are still outstanding for four months. We delivered our memorandum of demand in June. The last salary we received was in August,” he said.
Commenting on a national level, Mdala said this delay had affected workers in the Free State, Western Cape and Gauteng.
He said ANC employees’ houses were being repossessed, school fees were outstanding and they were struggling to pay basic bills.
“Disappointing is an understatement, I don’t know how to describe the conduct and behaviour of the ANC,” he said.
He explained that the situation was an emotional roller-coaster for them, further adding that their festive season was proving to be a bleak affair and that some employees are on medication which they can no longer afford.
“We need to keep (our) heads above the water so that we don’t drown. We cannot plan for this December, our children could not properly write their exams because they are affected,” he said.
According to Mdala, it also appears that there will be nothing to celebrate for the ANC during the MKMVA 60th anniversary on December 16.
“We don’t foresee the ANC having any event of celebrating national important days or hosting physical events where they will spend money to do it when they don’t prioritise staff,” he said.
Mdala noted that they can no longer continue to hold weekly protests, adding: “Through our union (Nehawu), the only available option to us is to involve the highest court of the country because the governing party is disregarding and undermining the laws of the nation.”
He said funding was not the main issue for the ANC.
“Their reason is that the party funding act is restricting its capacity to raise more funds. How can you implement a thing that will have a negative impact on you? It’s shocking.
“We will have an end-year virtual meeting with the staff before the end of this week and discuss our way forward,” he said.
Efforts to obtain comment from the ANC were unsuccessful. ANC national spokesperson Pule Mabe asked for questions to be sent to him but did not respond.
– Political Bureau
