ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has disclosed he is among the party’s senior management staff members who have not received their November salaries.
The Sunday Times previously reported hundreds of ANC staff members at Luthuli House headquarters and provincial offices had not received their November pay. This was reportedly the fourth time this year the party failed to meet its payroll obligations.
“This serves to inform you there is a delay in the payment of ANC staff salaries for the month of November 2025 which impacts the ability of our staff to meet their financial obligations to you,” a letter dated November 29 read.
Briefing the media on the party’s state of readiness for its fifth national general council (NGC), Mbalula addressed the issue. He said he is aware of intended protests but assured the salary matter for junior staff had been resolved, with only payments to senior managers, including himself, outstanding.
“There was an intention to protest given the issue of salaries, but that matter has been attended to,” Mbalula said.
We intend to work around it to ensure this mishap of non-payment of people is resolved. It does not give us a good image as an organisation, and we intend to resolve it permanently using our fundraising mechanisms
— Fikile Mbalula, ANC secretary-general
“The component of staff not paid is management, starting with me, the secretary-general. All our staff below that level have been attended to in terms of salaries. We are working on resolving the issue through rigorous fundraising efforts to ensure our staff bill is settled.”
The ANC needs to service a total salary bill of R20m per month for all its members. Mbalula said the Political Parties Funding Act has particularly affected the ANC because of its size, arguing the model used to fund political parties has had a negative impact on the organisation.
“We rely on donors who give us money from time to time, and it’s no longer like before. One person is allowed to donate a particular figure, and donors dry up because the financial situation and the bill we are running is very high,” he said.
“The act that regulates the funding of political parties affects the ANC because we are the largest party. It also affects us in terms of sustaining the bill or salaries to that particular tune. As you increase your majority, at the same time you increase your staff component and your salary bill goes up.”
He assured members the party is actively working on a permanent model to fix the issue.
“We intend to work around it to ensure this mishap of non-payment of people is resolved. It does not give us a good image as an organisation, and we intend to resolve it permanently using our fundraising mechanisms.”
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