Nehawu and ANC Caucus in negotiations

DORIANNE ARENDSE

The National Education Health and Allied Workers Union (NEHAWU) this week confirmed that it is in negotiations with the African National Congress (ANC) Parliamentary Caucus following an internal report by the party which indicated that they are in dire financial straits. The union’s comments follow an ongoing investigation by VOC News during which ANC Caucus staff raised their concern as they were issued with short term contracts, despite being permanently employed.

Those staff members, who spoke on condition of anonymity, alleged that the ANC Caucus was in severe debt and that R50 million was either “mismanaged” or had gone “missing” by the former Chief of Staff, Mzwandile Radebe who is currently working in the same capacity in the Ministry of Police.

In response to these allegations, spokesperson for the ANC Chief Whip, Moloto Mothapo confirmed that staff went on paid leave but the short term contracts had to be issued as the party lost seats in the current Parliament following the April 2009 election.

“The fact is, the ANC came back to this current term of Parliament, with a reduced majority. Staff were issued with a short term contract because the ANC lost 33 seats. The financial allocation that Parliament gives to political parties is proportionate to the number of MP’s that the party has in the National Assembly,” he said.

Mothapo refuted allegations that the ANC Caucus would be reducing staff numbers as “it may compromise the current negotiations with multiple stakeholders. The forum is to ensure that we arrive at a mutually agreed upon solution. I am not aware of any money that had gone missing from the Caucus.

Meanwhile having acknowledged the staff grievances, provincial secretary for Nehawu, Soraya Jawoodien, explained that ‘technically’ they were “not permanently employed by any political party’s Parliamentary Caucus.” She said that the ANC had indicated that when the five year staff contracts had expired, it would review the current structure in place, as there was a new administration in national government.

At the time of going to press, Radebe chose not to comment on the issue.