By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
ANC employees have received one month salaries, this comes after they were initially contemplating interdicting the organisation from hosting the policy conference, which started with the presidential gala dinner on Wednesday and is scheduled to end on Sunday.
ANC staff representative Mandla Qwane said: “The payment that has been made, which is June. There hasn’t been any payment made for the month of July.”
He said staff will continue to picket outside Nasrec, where the ANC will hold its sixth national policy conference this week.
“The payment of the June salary does not cover any of the demands that were made. The picket will continue tomorrow as well if the payment has not been made.”
However, in a bid to avert the embarrassment of the protests which had started earlier in the week, the party paid all its unpaid employees their June salaries on Thursday, with a promise to pay the July salaries after the policy conference.
The importance of this National Policy Conference cannot be overstated. It is the first time ANC branch delegates from more than one province are gathering in the same physical space since they elected President Cyril Ramaphosa as ANC leader at the same venue in 2017.
Much has happened since then, which means this is the first time ANC branches can now finally indicate their feelings about Ramaphosa and his leadership over the last five years — the usual mid-term National General Council had to be scrapped because of the Covid-19.
But, what Ramaphosa may fear the most is any debate around the Phala Phala scandal.
This is the issue that has already done more damage to his presidency than any other. This may also mean that he needs to pay very close attention to the final wording of any resolution about “step-aside” — to ensure that it cannot be used against him should any of the law enforcement agencies involved decide to formally charge him with wrongdoing.
One of the problems the ANC faces at this conference is simply drawing up resolutions that make sense and can be understood by voters.