ANC staff fearing a bleak Christmas over unpaid salaries
ANC staff members are picketing outside the NGC over delayed payment of salaries.
Image: Kamogelo Moichela/IOL Politics
Fear, frustration and desperation gripped ANC staff on Monday as workers picketed outside the party’s 5th National General Council (NGC) in Boksburg, warning that unpaid and chronically delayed salaries may result in a bleak Christmas for their families.
Their frustration now extended to the ANC’s highest office-bearers, with Youth League president Collen Malatji demanding immediate accountability from the Treasurer-General and top leadership.
ANC employees, some of whom have gone months without pay, gathered at the gates of Birchwood Hotel holding placards and chanting for the “right thing”.
For many, the crisis has grown deeper than late salaries, it has become a matter of survival.
“We’re going to hold everyone accountable,” Malatji said in a fiery address.
“Why are the workers of the ANC not being paid? They’ve got families to take care of. They must buy clothes, they must prepare for December. We cannot be eating while ANC workers and their children go hungry.”
Nombuso Mthembu, one of the leaders of the picket, said the salary crisis has become unbearable.
Image: Kamogelo Moichela/IOL Politics
Inside the venue, the party’s leadership pressed ahead with political discussions.
Outside, staff accused the ANC of failing its own employees for years.
Nombuso Mthembu, one of the leaders of the picket, said the crisis has become unbearable. “Our provident funds are deducted every month, yet the payments are still outstanding,” she explained.
“Medical aid is deducted, but when you get to the doctor, you’re told your medical aid has been suspended.”
For employees living with chronic illnesses, she said, the situation is devastating.
“How do you buy medication when you haven’t been paid? These issues have been ongoing. We were picketing at the 2022 policy conference over the same problems — salary delays, provident fund arrears, medical aid suspensions. Nothing has changed.”
She added that several staff members were still owed salaries from months earlier, even though partial payments for November have been made.
With today being December 8, workers fear their December salaries, critical for holiday food, travel, and school registration, may once again not arrive.
“Some of us are single parents. Our children depend solely on our salaries. What must we do now?” Mthembu asked.
Meanwhile, IOL reported on Sunday that ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula insisted that the crisis has been resolved and that planned protests have been withdrawn.
He acknowledged, however, that he himself is among those whose salary payments remain outstanding.
“Non-payment of staff has been attended to and resolved as we speak… There was an intention to protest, but that matter has been attended to,” he said.
But on the ground, workers paint a sharply different picture.
Their message is clear: promises are no longer enough and this Christmas may be the bleakest yet.
kamogelo.moichela@iol.co.za
IOL Politics