LETTER: If private sector acted like SOEs, it would be in jail

We keep reading about certain state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and political parties that do not pay over the deductions they take from their staff. If this happened for even one month in the private sector, prosecution would follow very quickly.

Unfortunately, the various authorities are either unwilling or reluctant to take action against SOEs and certain political parties. For instance, there has been an ongoing problem with the ANC for almost five years. Monies are deducted and are not paid over to the department of employment and labour.

Not only is this theft, it is immoral and incredibly destructive to the employees and their future. Yet the public outcry is almost nil. I personally went to go and lay criminal charges against the ANC at the Central Police Station in Cape Town, with my colleague Michael Cardo, MP. 

This criminal complaint came to nil as the police said the public prosecutor decided not to prosecute because other complaints had come in from employees. Even an official criminal complaint went nowhere.

We have also seen this with the SA Post Office, which hadn’t paid the medical aid contributions despite deductions from staff salaries. It appears to be a problem running throughout the SOEs’ governing party.

Surprisingly, the trade union movement has also been lethargic.  Hopefully, with the tripartite alliance between the ANC, union federation Cosatu and the SACP falling apart rapidly, the trade unions might be forced by their members to eventually take action.

It certainly looks like the matter of civil service abuse will only come to an end when the ANC government is finally removed.

Michael Bagraim, DA shadow deputy employment & labour minister

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