Cape Town -
Elected public representatives have not yet had their annual salary increases for this year, but there may be good news soon. And if they get an income boost it will be backdated to April 1.
The Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers would shortly announce its salary recommendations, secretariat head Peter Makapan said on Monday, without giving details.
It remains to be seen if the salary recommendations follow Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan’s recent executive austerity measures aimed at reining in government expenditure by banning official credit cards and cutting perks like travel, hotel accommodation and car purchases.
The commission’s recommendations are submitted to President Jacob Zuma for approval. Zuma’s salary is approved by the National Assembly.
It is a process that has not quite seemed to coincide with the April 1 date on which the increases come into effect: it was only in late July that the 5.5 percent salary increase for the 2012/13 financial year was gazetted.
That means Zuma’s annual salary officially remains R2.62 million, with his deputy, Kgalema Motlanthe, earning R2.36m. Ministers get just over R2m and their deputy ministers R1.65m. Travel, security and benefits like state-provided housing are separate.
In comparison, US President Barack Obama reportedly earns R4m a year, including perks, and UK Prime Minister David Cameron R2.2m, or £142 000, including a parliamentary salary of £66 396 as at April, according to the UK parliamentary website.
Malawian President Joyce Banda, one of Africa’s most powerful woman leaders, cut her salary by 30 percent in October last year to about R416 000, according to UK press reports.
In South Africa, under the salary regimen that came into force on April 1 last year, Parliament’s presiding officers, Max Sisulu and Mninwa Mahlangu, earn R2.36m, and their deputies R1.65m, while MPs and delegates to the National Council of Provinces earn R889 383 a year.
DA parliamentary leader Lindiwe Mazibuko earns R1.29m, the same as ANC chief whip Stone Sizani.
In the provinces, premiers earn R1.88m, members of the executive councils R1.65m, the same as the provincial Speaker, while provincial legislature members earn R860 787. The leader of the provincial opposition earns R1.02m a year, while the leader of a minority party earns R999 347.
Mayors earn R1.04m a year, while members of the mayoral executive committees earn R798 069, and councillors R401 866 a year.
Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng, whose long leave until the end of the first term next year began this week, earns R2.36m, the same as Motlanthe, with his deputy, now Acting Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke, getting R2.12m a year.
A Constitutional Court or Supreme Court of Appeal judge earns R1.88m a year. The high court judge presidents earn R1.77m and judges R1.53m.
While the Magistrates’ Commission wants its members to earn at the same rate as judges, they earn R708 136, with chief magistrates getting R944 089 and regional court presidents R1.06m a year.
Political Bureau