Ramaphosa says ANC must address non-payment of staff salaries ‘as a matter of priority’

ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa says the financial challenges faced by the governing party’s staff members as a result of continued non-payment of their salaries must be addressed “as a matter of priority”.

Ramaphosa closed the ANC’s 6th national policy conference held at the Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg on Sunday, where he spoke of a number of issues – including the non-payment of staff salaries.

“Our sincere thanks must go to all those who were involved in ensuring the success of this 6th national policy conference, particularly our comrades in the SGO [secretary-general’s office], the staff of the ANC who have borne the brunt of the ANC’s financial challenges and difficulties,” he said.

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“This conference has determined that the resolution of the financial challenges that the staff of the ANC is facing right now must be addressed as a matter of priority,” Ramaphosa added.

The ANC has been struggling to pay its staff resulting in the workers protesting the conference as well as the party’s gala dinner, which took place on Wednesday.

The staff members said their salaries for June and July were outstanding, with the ANC promising to pay by Thursday.

According to reports, the party has paid 189 workers while the salaries for the remaining 29 staff members were still outstanding as of Friday.

This is not the first time the ruling party’s staff have been angered by the non-payment of salaries and other benefits.

The workers embarked on similar protests last year and earlier this year.

They even threatened the party with legal action.

The staff had accused the party’s leadership of making UIF and medical aid deductions from their salaries, but not paying them over to the relevant entities.

The Citizen previously reported that the ANC owes R17 million to the South African Revenue Service (Sars) for unpaid taxes and Pay As You Earn (PAYE) tax.

The party’s treasurer-general Paul Mashatile blamed the new Political Party Funding Act for the ANC’s financial struggles.

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