NFP in debt, workers unpaid

The NFP troubles have gone from bad to worse as some of its MPs’ administration employees have not been paid for three months, and the party is failing to service its debt.

Durban - The National Freedom Party’s (NFP) troubles have gone from bad to worse as about 20 of its MPs’ administration employees have not been paid for three months, and the party is failing to service its debt.

The leaders were also allegedly squabbling over MP posts.

Acting national chairman Bheki Gumbi said a forensic investigation had been instituted to establish what happened to the party’s finances.

“The party does not have money. I cannot give figures left in our bank account because this information would further tarnish the image of the party,” he said.

The unpaid administration employees are meant to be paid by the party, which is provided funding for this by Parliament. Monthly allowances are provided to have staff in constituency offices.

One employee not paid for three months, Samuel Ngwenya, works for MP Maliyakhe Shelembe in his Bloemfontein, Free State, office. He said the party’s parliamentary caucus had forgotten to submit monthly claims to Parliament for the salaries to be released.

“This slipped (our minds) because we were busy with elections and problems facing the party,” he said.

A furious Ngwenya said he was last paid in May. “My children are hungry. I have been taking loans to support my family, and now I have to hide from people who are demanding their money,” said the father of four.

Shelembe resigned as national chairman following the party’s failure to register for the local elections. Early last week Gumbi suspended Shelembe and deputy national chairman Sicelo Mabika from Parliament in response to their alleged refusal to co-operate with the forensic investigation.

Shelembe has turned to his lawyers to challenge his suspension. He said he did not recognise Gumbi because there was no provision for an acting national chairman in the party’s constitution. Shelembe said Gumbi wanted the MP position for himself after he lost his council position in Johannesburg.

He said only suspended national treasurer Xolani Ndlovu should be held accountable for the party’s financial woes. “Gumbi is targeting us (him and Mabika) because he is looking to be an MP,” he said.

However, Gumbi said Shelembe and Mabika were the signatories in authorising the use of the party’s budget.

Gumbi said he had to negotiate with three of the party’s unpaid service providers to stop them from applying to have the NFP liquidated. The companies were owed R8 million for printing election posters and T-shirts. Office rent was also outstanding.

“We want them to explain what happened to the party’s budget, because prior to the elections, 227 of our councillors had been paying 15% of their salaries to the party since 2011,” he said.

The Mercury