By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
ANC staff members are going back to the picket lines from Monday over unpaid salaries and other grievances.
The ANC has been struggling to pay staff salaries on time for months now due to cash flow problems it has blamed on the new Political Party Funding Act.
The workers’ representative, Mvusi Mdala,told City Press that nothing came out of their meeting with managers this past Monday.
Mdala said,our grievances haven’t been resolved,nothing concrete was put on the table by managers at the last meeting. We want our three months’ salaries paid immediately. We want our deductions paid over to [the] UIF and SARS. ANC workers are having a hard time. The morale is low.
Workers are also demanding the payment of outstanding bonuses and the reinstatement of their medical aid.
Mdala also accused the party of refusing to recognise the workers’ union of choice. More than 50% of the employees joined the Cosatu-affiliated National Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu).
The ANC has been dogged by financial problems and is unable to pay suppliers and salaries. Employees previously embarked on lunchtime pickets and go-slows, and they threatened more action. They also voiced their grievances outside provincial ANC offices and at Luthuli House.
In August,the party announced that it would raise money for its obligations by increasing membership fees and levies, and resorting to crowdfunding.
In a statement then,the ANC said treasurer-general Paul Mashatile had been inundated with offers for help from members and supporters.
A national picket was halted in September, ahead of the municipal elections, after workers agreed to return to work “to put all their energies to work for a decisive victory for the ANC”.
The party fared dismally in the elections and is now scrambling to get into coalitions with smaller parties to govern certain municipalities.