In the wake of the news, staff convened an urgent meeting where it was decided that the only response was to immediately cease working.
“This is due to the hard-line attitude taken by management to continuously disregard concerns raised by staff members during a nationwide picket held in June this year. Management made numerous undertakings, both verbally and in writing, to address some of our demands by the end of August. However, the appalling conditions of employment continue unabated,” the staff said in a memo sent out after the meeting.
The ANC has been battling with cash flow for months and has an unsettled R80m Sars tax bill. The party deducted pay-as-you-earn tax from staff salaries but did not pay the money over to Sars.
The party has also failed to pay provident and pension funds for more than two years.
In their demand letter, staff said they wanted all pension and provident fund contributions to be paid immediately, as well as outstanding salaries of July and August.
“We are unfortunately forced to take action against this glorious movement of Oliver Tambo at the time when the movement politically is faced with numerous challenges.
“The South African economy is experiencing an economic crisis manifested in the collapse of investment and economic growth, as well as the further deterioration of the standard of living of the majority of South Africans. This unfortunate situation has not spared us, the workers of the ANC,” the letter said.
The staff said they were scared that they stood to lose “everything” as their houses, cars and children’s school fees remain unpaid.
“The price increases of petrol, electricity and basic needs is affecting us and more so our families. We have tried to sustain this situation but it is not sustainable any more. It is totally unacceptable that we have been made scapegoats for the organisation;s financial mismanagement.
“As workers of this organisation we have served the ANC with outmost dedication in ensuring that it executes the tasks of the national democratic revolution [NDR] and as such must be treated with dignity by the organisation. We call on all fellow staff members and members of the organisation to rally behind this action.”