ANC cadres cough up for NEC
2010-09-08 10:07
Cape Town - The ANC's national general council in two weeks' time will not be a free holiday in Durban for the party's cadres - everyone will have to pay to attend.
In a letter dated September 2, ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe reminds members of the ANC's national executive council (NEC) that their registration fees - ranging from R4 000 for ordinary members to R24 000 for members with business interests - have to be paid before September 15.
The letter, of which Beeld has a copy, also details various fees for participants in the party's interim conference from September 20 to 24.
Costs for participation
The party also distinguishes between different kinds of cadres and specifies the costs for their participation.
An ordinary branch representative can help shape ANC policies - for R900.
However, this privilege becomes increasingly expensive as the deployed cadre's strategic value increases: Leaders of youth, women's and veterans' leagues pay R2 000 each, the six top leaders pay between R5 000 and R7 000 and chief officials and chairs of state organisations pay R24 000 each.
Besides the distinction between what NEC members, the leagues and deployed cadres have to pay to participate in debates about nationalisation, press freedom and economic policy, there are also "price lists" for mayors, public representatives, alliance partners and guests.
Mayors in metro councils (R5 000) pay more than their counterparts in local and district councils (R2 000 each), while ministers (R5 000) pay more than ordinary MPs (R2 000).
Chairs of portfolio committees pay R500 more than their fellow MPs.
Observers
Alliance partners who will be attending as observers, such as members of Cosatu and the SACP, will pay R2 000 each. However, most of them are also members of the ANC and will thus be able to get away with paying R900 as ordinary branch members.
Business people who were invited will have to pay the maximum - R24 000.
Though the media has not been asked to pay to cover the event, strict instructions were issued not to allow any reporters whose registration with the Print Media Association of South Africa (PMASA) is not up to date.
Mantashe was not available for comment on Tuesday night.