ANC in Limpopo spent over R300k on preparations for an elective conference

At a time the ANC National Executive Committee (NEC) faces acute financial woes that saw it fail to pay the salaries of its employees on time, the ANC in Limpopo spent over R300 000 on preparations for an elective conference that failed to sit twice in a month.

The much-anticipated, highly contested Sekhukhune ANC regional elective conference, which was supposed to sit at the weekend, has been postponed yet again.

The ANC announced last week the conference would seat last week Saturday. But before dawn, the party’s acting regional secretary, Tala Mathope, wrote a communique to all branches, informing them that it was postponed and would reconvene yesterday.

Yesterday, Mathope told disillusioned delegates the conference was yet again postponed, owing to it to disputes registered by disgruntled branch members during Branch General Council meetings (BGMs).

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“We have received a letter from the office of the acting secretary-general, Jessie Duarte, advising us to put the conference on hold,” said Mathope.

“There are two branches who registered a plight with the national dispute committee and their issues were not yet finalised.

“In light of this, we will then wait for their disputes to be put to bed before we continue with the conference,” Mathope said the region spent R300 000 for the conference.

“These costs included the hiring of venue, marquee, catering, fuel and other vital logistics,” he said. “But this is a drop in the ocean. Our people want the conference to go ahead.

“We are prepared to fight to the last drop of our blood, including going to loan sharks to bank-roll the conference.”

The Citizen has been reliably informed that Frans Mohlala House (Limpopo ANC headquarters in Polokwane) is bleeding financially.

“Although we may not say this in public, we are faced with serious financial constraints,” said an ANC provincial executive committee member, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

Yesterday, ANC deputy provincial secretary Basikop Makamu conceded the postponement was negatively affecting the party’s purse.

“This is the money that could have been used to pay staff salaries,” he said.

“The party has no money. Although reasons for the postponements are genuine, it must be borne in mind that the more we keep postponing, the more money is lost.”

Serious cashflow woes

A fortnight ago, ANC employees embarked on a nationwide lunchtime picket, after the ruling party failed to pay their salaries on time. 

The party has been experiencing financial woes, with reports it owed the South African Revenue Services R80 million in Pay As You Earn deductions. 

The party is also in arrears by at least 28 months for around R140 million of its provident fund, which is deducted from workers’ salaries. 

National treasurer Paul Mashatile confirmed last week that the ANC was faced with financial difficulties, exacerbated by Covid-19.

– alexm@citizen.co.za