You know, Pule Mabe can truly produce some remarkable jewels when he wants to. He came up with the timeless idea that the ANC would be better able to cover staff wages if they were pulling cash-in-transit heists instead on Wednesday.
Naturally, the ANC spokesperson made the comment in a lighthearted manner. But each of the issues he raised is quite significant. Over the previous roughly 18 months, the party has frequently neglected to pay its employees. Luthuli House is still having trouble with cash flow.
Some ANC employees even protested this week’s gala banquet in Johannesburg. Donors had the opportunity to purchase a place at the head table with Cyril Ramaphosa at the dinner, which in and of itself is expected to be a significant fundraiser for the 110-year-old organization. Some tickets sold for R1,000,000.
But behind the scenes, turmoil still rages. The ruling party is not doing well. When questioned about the pickets, Pule Mabe digressed. He freely acknowledged that ANC donations “had dried up,” forcing him to consider other ways to make money.
“The ANC is not a bank robber. We rely on donations. If we were running a cash-in-transit heist, then we could say something like the robberies we commit in the next two months will give us enough [to pay salaries]. Once people renew their trust in us, we can sustain the party.”
Pule Mabe
Desperate circumstances do definitely call for desperate tactics, as the ANC’s contribution campaign is stagnating. However, it is unlikely that the fact that their party spokesman had to tell the media that they “are not bank robbers” will impress any potential investors.
Here is a video of this strange conversation:
Mzwandile: Has your employees staged a picket since the previous time?
The ANC is not a bank robber, says Pule Mabe. If ANC committed a cash-in-transit heist, it may claim that the robberies it will do over the following two months will be sufficient.
ANC relies on donations, people’s trust #PhalaPhalaGate pic.twitter.com/qBsPLkv2Q3
— Izwe Lethu (@LandNoli) July 28, 2022