Legislation was needed to close the pay gap between managers and workers, the Western Cape's local government MEC Anton Bredell said on Friday.

"We'll have to ensure that the gap between rich and poor becomes smaller by means of legislation," he said in a speech prepared for delivery to a congress of the union Imatu in George.

"When this happens, I assure you we won't have any more strikes during salary negotiations."

The government would have to set the example and lead by example.

Bredell said it was no shame to be rich, and in truth South Africa needed more rich people "so that we can care for the poor".
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