ANC staff go-slow impedes selection of local election candidates

ANC general manager Fébé Potgieter has written to staff appealing to them to be flexible in their go-slow protest, to allow the party to complete selecting candidates for the elections. Workers embarked on the go-slow last month in protest against late salary payments.

ANC staff members have complained of late payments dating back two years. Employees said that, as well as their salaries often being paid late, their provident fund payments had not been made, and their medical-aid cover had been suspended on numerous occasions.

In June, the workers gave the ANC seven days to produce a plan to rescue the party from its financial woes or face strike action. Staff members demanded the immediate payment of salaries for May; backpay for salaries that had not been increased since 2018; assurances that their medical aid would no longer be suspended; and a resolution to problems with the provident fund.

With a threat of a massive strike action, the ANC again paid staff late, sending a letter on 16 June that it would communicate at a later date when staff would be paid.

ANC deputy secretary general Jessie Duarte told the media earlier this month that staff had been paid their July salaries, but one employee told the Mail & Guardian that June salaries had not been paid, and that the provident fund was 35 months in arrears.

ANC staff told Duarte that they would embark on a go-slow, working only from 8.30am until 4.30pm on weekdays — and not at all during weekends.

On Tuesday, Potgieter wrote to staff informing them the party might not be able to meet a candidate list submission deadline set by the Electoral Commission of South Africa for local government elections scheduled for 27 October.

“ANC staff at all levels play a critical role in providing support to branches and regions, as well as to the regional and provincial list and vetting committees,” she said.