NEHAWU calls on the ANC to pay workers salaries

15 November 2021

The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union [NEHAWU] stands in solidarity with its members and workers working for the African National Congress (ANC), as they embark on picket demonstrations across the country as a result of the continued failure by the ANC in paying their salaries. 

In June 2021, the ANC made an undertaking to address the demands that were contained in the memorandum of demands which our members submitted for the attention of ANC management, following the national pickets. These demands included amongst others the payment of outstanding salaries and contributions like provident fund, UIF, and medical aid benefit with immediate effect.

As NEHAWU, we are utterly astonished that ANC has not fulfilled its promises even after having made a serious commitment to them. Indeed, this confirms to us that the ANC has lost its moral and ethical compass as an organisation that is biased towards the poor and working-class. 

The ANC clearly does not value the contribution of these workers. What kind of organisation would find absolutely nothing wrong with subjecting its employees to economic hardships? Our members and workers working for the ANC have lost all they have worked for as a result of the non-payment of salaries. 

It’s these workers that just recently worked hard to ensure that the ANC redeems the little credibility it has left during the local government elections and yet the organisation treats them with disdain by not paying them what is rightfully theirs. 

As NEHAWU, we fully support the struggle of workers for improved conditions of service. As such, we call on the ANC to comply with the legislative frameworks and labour laws of this country by paying our members and its workers what is rightfully theirs.

Issued by Lwazi Nkolonzi, Acting National Spokesperson, NEHAWU, 16 November 2021