Government employees who are ANC supporters are not required to pay any money to the ruling party in order to keep their jobs.
The ANC made this announcement today, saying it was forced to do so because some of its members had complained about receiving calls from media houses, asking about the payment of donations and other fees to the party.
ANC treasurer-general Zweli Mkhize said in the statement that a false impression had been created, by those asking questions, that civil servants who support the ANC were forced to pay levies in order to retain their “deployment” in government.
“The African National Congress categorically rejects any attempt to link voluntary and unconditional financial contributions by members, supporters and sympathisers of the ANC to the acquisition or retention of any jobs in the public sector.
Donations to the ANC are not transactional.
Anyone who contributes to the organisation cannot expect anything nor do they contribute in exchange [for] anything,” said Mkhize.
He said ANC members who are employed and earn an income were encouraged – but not forced – to contribute to the financial coffers of the ruling party.
As part of its fundraising duties, Mkhize said his office was enforcing a resolution taken at the party’s Mangaung conference in 2012.
The resolution requires members who earn some sort of income to contribute to the financial sustainability of the organisation.
He said the ANC also obtained donations from private individuals who are not members of the party and are not employed by government.
“There are many people who are not members of the ANC or in the employ of government who make donations to the organisation.
There are many other people who approach the organisation of their own volition to make contributions and others who, when approached by the organisation to contribute, decline to do so.”
The ruling party has over a million members who pay R12 a year in membership fees. All of its public representatives are forced to cede a small portion of their pay to the party. It also raises funds through its investment arm, Chancellor House.
