Tony Ehrenreich to Share his Wages/Income

COSATU Secretary and City Council Councillor will hand over his salary/ income to a board of 4 persons to distribute to worthy causes. The board will allocate an amount not greater than an artisan's salary [an artisan is the highest salary amongst workers] to Tony, for his expenses. The R20 000 Council stipend as well as the speaking fees [of up to R10 000 an hour] that Tony gets, will be allocated to the projects that advances the interest of workers.

Tony had previously always allocated from his funds to the various projects, but now wants to formalise it. The reason that he is formalising this, is because he believes that many of the problems in the country is because too many people are blinded by high salaries and forget their obligation to serve our people. The high salaries in organisations are also the reason for many of the tensions and strife in organisations across the board. The obscenity and extravagance of the wealthy is a real stumbling block to nation building, with them often accruing their wealth at the cost of poorer workers.

Tony's Salary will also allocate R1000 a month to the board members' appointed to allocate the funds to the projects. These board members have been chosen because they are all serving our people at the lowest level, often with low or no remuneration. Tony calls on the other highly paid organisation and Political / government office holders to also share their income with the poorer sections of our communities. This must follow the Union slogan of "An injury to one is an injury to all". So a "Benefit to one, must be a benefit to all". The board members reflect the commitment to Non Racialism and cuts across all race groups:

The names and details of the Board members are as follows:

Christine Julies- Coloured

Denise Simpson - Coloured 

Joao Jardim - White 

Brian Mphahlele (Culumani) -African

Too many board members do less than this board for much greater reward and just reinforce the situation of exploitation and inequality in the institutions that they serve on.

Whites in SA have always just been trying to accumulate as much wealth for themselves, at the cost of blacks. Now some blacks who have an opportunity to accumulate money are doing it to white standards, with no regard for the poor and often at the cost of the poor, mainly black communities. There needs to be a new mindset if we are to change the trajectory of development in South Africa.

This is the start of Tony ensuring that what he has accrued from a life of working in organisation will be more equitably shared amongst the people. The board members will meet at the end of every month and will start their work and will make their reports public with an assessment and review after 3 months , as they monitor the advancement of greater equality.

The biggest problem in South Africa is the huge levels of inequality that exist between the haves and the have not's; which was earlier represented between the white and black populations groups. A key requirement for progress in our country will be to bring about greater levels of equality. Tony will also use the house that he lives in, in a back yard in Uitsig, for a training course for the young girl children from the area to get life skills, once a week after school.

Tony will also give the trimmings of his upper income salary to the benefit of poorer communities. In this respect he will give an old Nissan bakkie that he has, to a disadvantaged family from Delft, who had lived with Tony after they lost their informal house in a fire in Langa. He will also put his Motorbike up for sale and part of the proceeds will go to enhancing the benefit to the projects of workers. Tony will also advocate for the less expensive work cars to be bought, for staff members of COSATU for work usage.

The holiday house that Tony has in Kleinmond with his Sister, will be hired out to COSATU members at reduced rates, with 3 days a month going to non profit Organisations free of charge, for capacity building training. The normal rental rates will apply to others who share the values, who want to use the house, and can afford the rates. Tony will also take a family from the informal sector in Kleinmond into the back cottage section of the holiday house in the next month, as a follow up to others who have lived there previously. This is in part to show that it is obscene to have holiday houses standing empty, whilst so many people need accommodation.

The board members and recipients of the cars will be at the press conference to receive the roles, with the only reciprocation required, is that they also serve and share with others. This sharing value is not a new thing for Tony, but has been a practice since he is in COSATU, and a lesson that he has learned from workers who show their solidarity to each other on a daily basis.

Statement issued by Tony Ehrenreich, COSATU Western Cape Provincial Secretary, January 23 2015

Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter