Salary levy sparks outrage among ANC members

Kimberley - A number of ANC members employed by the state in the Northern Cape feel that they are being coerced into paying a levy, which will be deducted from their bank accounts, for party fund-raising purposes.

Stop-order forms were circulated to ANC members to make deposits into the African National Congress Fundraising Account at First National Bank’s New Park branch.

Several ANC members stated that they were “not very happy” with this arrangement.

“We can’t complain because we will lose our jobs if we don’t pay the monthly levy,” they said.

They also questioned who would oversee spending as well as who would have access to the funds.

“How will the funds be accounted for? If you count how many members are employed as state officials, thousands of rands will be contributed to this fund every month. It is unethical.”

Other ANC members did not know about the stop-orders.

“It is news to me. I used to contribute to the organisation when I was working for the ANC but I haven’t made any donations in quite a while.”

One ANC member stated that he was willing to contribute on condition that the Guptas paid back all the money that they had captured from the state.

The memorandum, dated June 12, states that in terms of a resolution taken at the eighth provincial conference, “all strategically deployed cadres, of the ANC in the Northern Cape, to pay a monthly levy”.

The letter stated that the levy would assist the organisation to fund its running costs.

“This can only ensue when all of us make this small contribution towards the movement. We will keep records of all comrades who are currently paying their levies and those comrades who will contribute in future.”

ANC provincial spokesperson, Naledi Gaosekwe, stated that the issue of ANC members contributing towards the organisation was “not a new phenomenon”.

“It has been happening since 1996, meaning for just over 20 years members have been contributing. Members both from government as well as the private sector have always been contributing to the ANC."

“Even ANC staff members make a contribution of as little as R30 to the ANC. Members of the provincial legislature, members of parliament as well as councillors pay a levy to the national office as well as the provincial office.”

Gaosekwe stated that members made voluntary contributions.

“It is absolutely voluntary. Nothing has ever happened to members who do not make a contribution. The Mangaung conference resolved on a 10 percent increase on what comrades are already paying as levies and our conference affirmed it for our contributions.”