News24 reports that during the ANC's national executive committee (NEC) virtual meeting on Sunday, its treasurer-general, Paul Mashatile, apparently said the party was mulling cutting its staff by 50%.
Sources verified that Mashatile told the meeting the party would have to cut staff members in order to ‘right-size’ itself. "Officials have agreed that we've probably had to cut our staff by 50%. But those reports will come to the NEC. A lot of work is being undertaken. Comrade Febe (the party's general manager, Febe Potgieter) is leading the process of restructuring and right-sizing," Mashatile advised. According to a Sunday Times report and in part payment for the ANC’s ballooning tax bill, the SA Revenue Service (SARS) recently took R17 million meant for the governing party. The report alleged the party owed SARS millions, dating back to when Jacob Zuma was party president and Zweli Mkhize was the treasurer-general. Meantime, in a letter dated 30 April, which was sent five days after payday, Potgieter warned staff members that the financial problems the organisation was facing would continue for the next three to six months. In the letter, she warned employees that they should expect late payments. The letter read: “Due to financial difficulties, this situation of uncertainties with regards to the exact date of the payment of salaries is likely to continue for the coming three to six months.”
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Pule Letshwiti-Jones at News24
- Read too, ANC to take legal action after audio clips from special NEC meeting leaked, at Independent Media
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page