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ANC asks for bailout from Twitter, but crowd not convinced
A tweet has emerged, encouraging prospective voters to make a contribution to the party’s crowdfunding initiative.
ANC headquarters Luthuli house. Picture for illustration: Citizen.co.za/Michel Bega
Despite ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe quickly dismissing cash flow problems as being the reason the ruling party cannot pay fill staff salaries, the ANC now appears to be pushing its crowdfunding initiative.
On Saturday morning, three days after the news broke that July and August salaries cannot yet be paid, a tweet emerged, encouraging prospective voters to make a contribution to the party’s crowdfunding initiative.
Whether the campaign works remains to be seen. But if Twitter comments on the party’s post are anything to go by, the campaign may not be so successful.
ALSO READ: ANC ‘not yet in a position’ to pay staff salaries for July, August
Mabe said on Wednesday the party defaulting on salary payments was “nothing new”, and that this had happened in the past.
But staff have since downed tools, and embarked on a “wild cat strike”, forcing the ANC to close all its offices across the country, while salary negotiations with staff representatives take place.
ANC general manager Febe Potieter-Gqubule said in a letter the party was “not yet in a position to pay outstanding salaries for July 2021”, and that August salaries would also be delayed.
Potieter-Gqubule said the ANC had been able to pay staff over the first 14 months of the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, the party said it was behind by three months for the first time.
‘Financial drought’?
Political analyst Professor Lesiba Teffo told The Citizen on Friday the party seemed to be going through a financial drought, but that the party’s fortunes had taken consistent knocks over the past 10 years.
ALSO READ: Why aren’t the ANC’s billionaires helping their beloved party?
This is because the party’s state capture allegations, probes by the Hawks and the Special Investigating Unit, recent scandals such as Digital Vibes and the Bosasa influence all make investors and tenderpreneurs nervous to invest.
Millions were also being seized by the South African Revenue Services, and with the upcoming local government elections, the ANC faces a hefty bill if they contest each metro, local council and district municipality.
The ANC has repeatedly blamed the new Political Party Funding Act for the struggles of it paying staff salaries on time.
The Act requires political parties represented in the Parliament and provincial legislatures to submit audited financial statements for funding received from the Represented Political Party Fund and the Multi-Party Democracy Fund.
Parties also have an obligation to disclose donations from R100,000 and upwards.
Compiled by Nica Richards. Additional reporting by Rorisang Kgosana
