ANC Plans to Spend R50 Million On Election Campaign But Can't Pay Workers Their Salaries

• Fikile Mbalula, the ANC's Head of Elections, says the governing party is looking to spend R50 million on their election campaign
• Mbalula says the budget may be subject to change at a later stage but for now, they don't see themselves over R50 million
• Mbalula also highlighted that the ANC is experiencing some issues with its cash flow and the election campaign is being funded by donors

JOHANNESBURG - With the local government elections nearly five weeks away, the African National Congress is already on the campaign trail and is willing to spend whatever is necessary to fulfil their campaign plans.

ANC's Head of Elections Fikile Mbalula says the ruling party is looking into spending approximately R50 million on their election campaign.

Mbalula says the amount is not set in stone and is subject to change, however, the ruling party is not looking to spend more than R50 million, reports The Citizen.

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Mbalula added that because the campaigning period is short, there are things the ANC "can live without."

The ANC's huge election budget is quite surprising considering the party had previously said that it is experiencing cash flow issues which he says the party is working on.

The ruling party has not been able to pay their employees salaries for few months which has lead to protest action being tan against the ANC.

Mbalula however says the election campaign budget will be funded by members of the ANC, according to IOL. He added that the party was solely dependent on money that has been donated to them to fund their election campaign.

He also stated that ANC's treasurer-general Paul Mashatile is heading the party's fundraising efforts for their campaign.

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ANC Salaries: Staff still not paid while ruling party battles crippling debt

Briefly News previously reported that the African National Congress's staff representative stated that it was not possible for staffers to help with work if their salaries were still not paid. Across the country, around 247 employees have not been paid.

Mvusi Mdlala, the representative, stated that in the Western Cape 14 employees, six regional secretaries and one coordinator for the province have yet to receive their monthly pay. Reports state that the employees were allegedly promised that their pay would come in last week but it still has not happened.

An anonymous employee spoke with IOL and revealed that a letter mailed to the party's general manager stated that the ruling party would not be able to pay wages and hoped that they would soon be in a position to do so.

The employee who did not want to be named stated that the ANC was withholding their labour as people have bills to pay. Mdlala reiterated that staff were not paid and revealed that they had not received their July or August pay.

Source: Briefly News