South Africa’s ruling party shuts offices as workers protest unpaid salaries

JOHANNESBURG

Workers of South Africa’s African National Congress (ANC) launched a protest over unpaid salaries on Thursday, forcing the ruling party to temporarily close its offices nationwide.

Pule Mabe, a party spokesperson, confirmed the decision to shutter ANC offices, but did not give a timeline for their reopening.

“The ANC management will continue to engage with staff representatives on their grievances, with a view to find solutions, so that we can resume normal operations,” he said in a statement.

Party workers say they have not been paid for July and August, despite raising the issue at previous protests in June.

The historic party, which has been in power in South Africa since 1994, is said to be battling financial problems.

Mvusi Mdala, head of the ANC’s Staff Representative Committee, told state broadcaster SABC that the issue has persisted for years and has taken a toll on the lives of party workers.

​​​​​​“We have been in this situation for some time, for more than 4 years… therefore we are not convinced that the ANC’s current financial crisis is due to the pandemic and issues related to party funding,” Mdala said.