Pretoria -
President Jacob Zuma will have to wait to hear whether he’ll get a salary increase – that’s up to the National Assembly – although he’s announced a 5 percent boost for everyone from his deputy to members of the national and provincial legislatures.
Also outstanding are announcements on salary increases for local government politicians, judges, magistrates and traditional leaders, details of which in past years have been released separately. Local government increases come into effect on July 1 every year.
The increases of cabinet members, deputy ministers, premiers and their executive teams, alongside those of MPs and MPLs, were gazetted earlier this month. They will be backdated to April 1.
The Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers recommended staggered salary increases according to income – from 7 percent for those earning less than R500 000 a year to nothing for those earning R1 million year.
Instead, Zuma decided on 5 percent across the board.
Last year, the government implemented an austerity package for executives, including a ban on state credit cards, restrictions on travel and accommodation perks, and limits on amounts spent in buying cars for official use.
The new pay scales mean Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe now earns R2 478 378 a year, up from R2.36m, and ministers R2 106 607, while a deputy minister’s salary has gone up from R1.65m to R1 734 835. Travel, security and other benefits like state-provided housing are separate.
Members of Parliament and the National Council of Provinces will earn R933 852 a year, up from R889 383. ANC chief whip Stone Sizani and DA parliamentary leader Lindiwe Mazibuko now earn R1 363 064, up from R1.29m, while the ANC’s deputy chief whip and the chief whip of the largest minority party, the DA’s Watty Watson, earn R1 115 314 a year.
In the provinces, premiers now earn R1 982 731, up from the R1.88m.
MECs now get R1 734 835, up from R1.65m, while an MPL earns R903 826.
Mayors have earned R1 045 626 since April 2012.
The commission recommended that councillors’ annual income be increased to R429 997 from the R401 866 they have been receiving since 2012.
As Zuma has rejected the commission’s suggested increases in favour of 5 percent hike for the national and provincial governments, this is set to be announced for the other categories of public office-bearers.
Political Bureau