ANC
By Boy Stevens – Fear and frustration boiled over on Monday as African National Congress (ANC) staff picketed outside the party’s 5th National General Council (NGC) at the Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg, demanding long-overdue salaries. With the festive season fast approaching, workers warned of a grim Christmas for their families, as delayed payments leave them struggling to buy basics like food, clothes, and school supplies. This marks the third time this year that Luthuli House employees have gone without pay, sparking accusations of poor financial management within South Africa’s ruling party. ANC Youth League president Collen Malatji joined the call for accountability, slamming leaders for feasting while staff and their children go hungry.
The protest highlights deeper troubles for the ANC, including cash shortages that forced provinces to fund the NGC. As delegates inside discussed the party’s future, workers outside chanted for fairness, exposing rifts that could hurt the ANC’s image ahead of the 2026 local elections. With no quick fix in sight, staff say their survival is at stake in a crisis that has dragged on for years.
Workers Take to the Streets: ‘We Can’t Eat Promises’
Around 100 ANC employees gathered at the venue gates, holding signs and singing struggle songs to voice their pain. “Our provident funds are deducted every month, yet the payments are still outstanding,” said protest leader Nombuso Mthembu. She pointed out that medical aid deductions lead to suspensions, leaving staff without coverage when they need it most. “How do you buy medication when you haven’t been paid? These issues have been ongoing since the 2022 policy conference – salary delays, provident fund arrears, medical aid suspensions. Nothing has changed.”
Many workers are single parents relying solely on their wages to feed their families. “Our children depend on our salaries. What must we do now?” Mthembu asked. Partial payments for November have trickled in, but some are still owed from earlier months. With December 8 already here, fears grow that festive salaries – crucial for holiday travel, gifts, and back-to-school costs – will also be late.
The demonstration ended after talks with leaders, but workers made it clear: promises are not enough. They want full pay, backdated benefits, and an end to the cycle of delays that has left them in debt and despair.
Youth League Steps In: Malatji Demands Answers from Top Brass
ANC Youth League president Collen Malatji showed up to back the workers, calling the situation unacceptable. “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,” he said. Malatji vowed to hold everyone accountable, including the Treasurer-General, and push for a fix.
His support adds pressure on the party’s top team, as the NGC focuses on renewal and performance. But with staff protesting outside, it shows how internal money problems are spilling over into public view.
ANC’s Cash Crunch: Provinces Foot the NGC Bill
The salary woes tie into bigger financial headaches for the ANC. A letter from Luthuli House’s general manager admitted delays in November payments, blaming cash flow issues. Reports say the party told provinces to cover NGC costs due to empty coffers at headquarters. This has raised eyebrows about how the ANC, which runs the country, can’t manage its own books.
Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula claimed on Sunday that the crisis was sorted and protests called off. “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 Monday’s picket shows otherwise, with workers saying partial fixes don’t cut it.
The ANC has faced money troubles before, with staff protesting at the 2022 conference over the same gripes. Finance boss Dr Gwen Ramokgopa has been blamed for the mess, but no lasting solutions have come.
Impact on Families: A Bleak Holiday Ahead?
For ANC workers, the delays mean more than missed paychecks – they threaten family stability. Many borrow money or rely on loans to get by, piling up debt. With Christmas around the corner, simple joys like family meals or gifts feel out of reach. “We were picketing at the 2022 policy conference over the same problems,” Mthembu recalled. “Nothing has changed.”
Unpaid UIF and pension contributions add to the pain, leaving staff without safety nets if they lose jobs. Medical aid suspensions hit hard for those with ongoing health needs, forcing tough choices between food and medicine.
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