Mashatile ‘spends his time scrounging for money’ to pay Luthuli House workers: Ramaphosa

ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday made a commitment that those who work for the ruling party will be paid.

This is amid threats of another picket on Monday outside the party’s Luthuli House headquarters over late salary payments.

TimesLIVE understands the picket over salaries is unprotected.

A Luthuli House source said: “You just don’t down tools. You apply to the department of labour and the strike action must be regulated by law.”

Another ANC insider said: “They owe us September salaries. They promised to pay us by Friday last week. They did not honour that so we decided to down tools and will be picketing tomorrow at Luthuli House with the hope we get a way forward.”

Weighing in on the matter on Sunday, Ramaphosa said: “The challenges the ANC is facing both at government and party level are huge. At party level the financial challenges we are facing are out there for everyone to see.

“Financial resources, especially in the ANC, have dried up because of legislation we’ve put in place and those who used to fund the ANC, because of the disclosure processes, are holding back.

“As a result the enormous expenses the ANC goes through come under a great deal of pressure and we therefore have to scrounge around.”

Ramaphosa, who was speaking at Hitekani Primary School in Soweto’s ward 11, told journalists party treasurer-general Paul Mashatile “basically spends his time scrounging for money from those who would donate to the ANC”.

He said he had a great deal of understanding for the plight of workers in the ANC because they are not often paid on time.

“We continue to work to raise the money that should go towards paying them, and that becomes successful at times, but is sometimes delayed. Our commitment is that those who work for the ANC must be paid,” said Ramaphosa.

ANC national spokesperson Pule Mabe said the party was aware of protest action by its staff members over salaries.

“We saw notices on social media around staff going on pickets. As soon as we have received a fuller report of where we are, we will be able to make more informed commentary around this issue.”

Mabe said Mashatile, working with other officials, was doing everything in his power to ensure they minimise the ANC’s debt bill.

“We are alive to the fact that when they are not paid it affects their wellbeing, dignity and standing in society and the ability to provide for their families.”

Mabe said the ANC relied on donations and funds were not as forthcoming as they were in the past.

“This is due in part to the Political Party Funding Act as well as the state of the economy,”

TimesLIVE