MEC has final say over council salary increases

Council agreed to a salary increase for public office bearers, after a three-year hiatus on increases.

The resolution, upgrading councillors from a level 4 to a level 5 grade, caused a deficit of R3.6 million on the existing budget, which will be adjusted in February to accommodate the salary increases.

The increase will be backdated to July 1, 2020, subject to concurrence from Mpumalanga MEC for Co-operative Governance, Ms Busisiwe Shiba, who is yet to agree to the terms agreed to by council on December 23.

The MEC’s response is expected sometime this month, after which council will convene again to give the final stamp of approval.

The decision comes on the back of a two-month-long strike by municipal workers who also demand salary upgrades to level 5.

The grade adjustment for municipal employees was referred to the Bargaining Council by council in October after the SA Local Government Association (Salga) instructed council not to negotiate with striking employees, as council does not have the legal mandate to implement the worker’s demands.

A deal was struck between the municipality and employees in November, agreeing to benchmark Steve Tshwete with other level 4 municipalities, and the municipality agreeing to implement wage gap differences after benchmarking, with back pay for two years.

National government determines the upper levels for top management and public office bearers.

The grading of municipalities are also guided by national government, on criteria such as the budget and population.

With the municipality still relying on 2011 census outcomes, the authority remains on level 4 for municipal employees.

Conditional grants, counted into the overall budget, should also be subtracted, placing the municipality on level 4.

Municipal Manager Mr Bheki Khenisa told the paper in December that the benchmarking process would take about three months.