ANC MPs vote in favour of pension for Zuma

The ANC, the majority party in parliament, on Wednesday voted to grant former president Jacob Zuma generous pension benefits as well as agreeing to continue to pay his medical aid costs.

The Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers had recommended last month that the pension and medical aid benefits Zuma should get should be equal to 100% of his salary upon retirement, that his estate should apparently continue to benefit from it even after he dies and that he should continue to get increases to ensure his salary remains in line with that given to the sitting president, in this case President Cyril Ramaphosa.

It was reported earlier this year that Ramaphosa currently earns about R3.6 million a year. He pledged half of that to a charitable fund managed by the Nelson Mandela Foundation. The president’s basic salary is R2.98 million a year.

The National Assembly is scheduled to adopt recommendations contained in the report of the Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers of 22 August 2018 on the pension and medical aid benefits of the former President, Mr J G Zuma. pic.twitter.com/KgcEN9vRwf

— Scapegoat (@AndiMakinana) September 12, 2018

The ANC is out here seriously asking Parliament to increase Jacob Zuma's pension.

— Phumzile Van Damme (@zilevandamme) September 12, 2018

The recommendations particularly vexed the DA’s chief whip, John Steenhuisen, who argued passionately against such a move, as he did not believe the former president deserved it, particularly as many analysts and even the ANC itself had blamed him for facilitating large-scale state capture, for having been found to have broken his oath of office by the Constitutional Court and for leading the country into a technical recession, which happened after his removal in February.

In his speech, Steenhuisen also touched on unemployment, alleged corruption, issues at the SA Social Security Agency, the increased cost of living, the estimated R100 billion state capture had cost the country, the nearly R17 million in legal fees for Zuma, and more.

“Haven’t we paid enough? We [already] built a retirement village for Mr Zuma at Nkandla.”

Steenhuisen said passing the recommendation on the pension would be rewarding Zuma when he was not deserving of it.

“This house can refuse to pass this recommendation.”

Watch the speech below:

Despite the DA’s protestations, the House passed the recommendation anyway.

The ANC used its majority to approve the pension benefits after opposition parties had rejected it.

A total of 197 ANC MPs voted in favour of approving Zuma’s pension, while 95 opposition members voted against the motion.

The EFF also said Zuma should not be paid anything in retirement due to his allegedly dubious track record.

EFF MP Sam Matiase said: “We must not forget that Mr Zuma did not stand down willingly, he stood down because we were going to impeach him and was going lose all his benefits.”

The ANC argued Zuma had not been impeached and was entitled to his benefits.

The ANC have just voted to grant constitutional delinquent and former President Jacob Zuma millions more in pension benefits funded by the public purse. Hasn’t South Africa paid enough for Zuma already?

— John Steenhuisen MP (@jsteenhuisen) September 12, 2018

.@MYANC Government VOTED YES to increase #Zuma Pension!#Zuma already received a FREE House at Taxpayers expense to the value of R 246 Million from Taxpayers. He also collapsed our Economy.

Does #ANC have no Shame!!!!

We must vote the ANC out come 2019 @Our_DA Voted NO! pic.twitter.com/ZjnREDw6fh

— Ricardo Mackenzie MPL🇿🇦 (@ricardomackenzi) September 12, 2018

Big difference: I didn’t loot the coffers, sell the country to the Gupta’s and facilitate State Capture and do everything in my power to line my own pockets…. try harder! https://t.co/mMTHAWLlnE

— John Steenhuisen MP (@jsteenhuisen) September 12, 2018

The New Dawn Cabinet rushes into Parliament to vote YES to reward Jacob Zuma with a pension increase! Twilight zone stuff

— Dean Macpherson MP (@DeanMacpherson) September 12, 2018

MPs are back.

The EFF and DA MPs are mumbling about how ANC MPs voted to give Jacob Zuma a 100% pension payout. #GuptaNaturalisation

— Scapegoat (@AndiMakinana) September 12, 2018