A sheriff from the Tzaneen Magistrate’s Court has emptied the offices of the ANC in the Norman Mashabane region in Limpopo following a protracted labour squabble.
The sheriff marched into the ANC offices on Tuesday and attached assets such as refrigerators, computers and other moveable goods in full view of helpless staff members and bemused passersby.
At the centre of controversy are allegations that a member of staff who worked under the tutelage of former regional secretary, Basikopo Makamu, was suspended after Makamu was elected as provincial deputy secretary of the party.
ANC activist Tshepo Leseilane of Lekgolo Maake ANC Branch in ward 33 in the Greater Tzaneen local municipality said Tommy Makhubele was suspended in 2019 after he allegedly misplaced vital organisational documents while en route to submit them at Luthuli House in Johannesburg.
“He was suspended without pay and had to sell two of his cars in an endeavour to bankroll his life and that of his family,” said Leseilane
Makhubele, who lives in Giyani, allegedly had to hitchhike from the town to Tzaneen every day for three years in search of a job as his vehicles had been sold.
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Makhubele took the matter to the Labour Court in Tzaneen where he won the case.
The ANC was then, according to Leseilane, ordered to pay him his salary since the month of his suspension in 2019.
Despite the order, Makhubele was allegedly still made to beg before he could be given his office back.
He was given the boardroom to work in as the party’s regional organiser.
‘What ANC did was cruel’
“After concerted efforts to get the ANC pay him the salary, including the backlog, the sheriff came and attached the party’s assets on Tuesday morning,” said a concerned resident, Phillip Machubeni of Morutji.
“What the ANC did to this man is cruel.
“I believe Makhubele was only punished because he did not belong to the same faction as the new regime.
“He is just a victim of the so-called ‘no man uses another man’s dog’s to hunt’.”
An independent political analyst, Metji Makgoba, said the reason the party is currently facing countless problems was that the ANC did not properly manage the transition from a liberation movement to a modern political party.
“Firstly, it lacks professional institutional capacity to deal with budgeting, financial accountability and the know-how to deal with complex organisational matters in a professional manner.
“The ANC does not have systems in place to manage its membership at branch level.
“The party cannot manage its finances as it can’t even pay its employees.
“The party also has disrespect for the law.
“It also lacks professionalism.
“The same ANC has no capacity in government to enhance the state to function independently without the help of the private sector,” claimed Makgoba.
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ANC regional spokesperson Peter Ngobeni confirmed some assets at the party’s regional offices were attached.
“The matter emanates from a default judgement taken against the organisation at the CCMA in a labour dispute.
“The ANC is, however, pursuing all available legal options at its disposal to vindicate its rights and to bring the matter to complete finality through a review application.
“It is important to highlight that the regional office is operating as normal despite this minor incident,” he said.
At the time of the visit by The Citizen, Ngobeni and ANC regional secretary Goodman Mtileni were not in the office.
Only the administrator and security personnel were at the buildings.
– news@citizen.co.za