Ramaphosa approves 3% salary increase for ministers, MPs, judges

President Cyril Ramaphosa has given the greenlight for top public servants to get a salary hike amid the country’s adverse economic conditions.

Ramaphosa’s approval comes after the Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers had recommended a 3.8% increase almost three months ago.

At the time, the proposed salary increase sparked debate across South Africa, with a number of citizens arguing on social media for quite some time now that public servants were receiving a lot of money.

‘Statutory requirements’

But the Presidency announced on Saturday that Cabinet ministers, Members of Parliament (MPs), judges, and traditional leaders will only receive a 3% bump up in their salaries.

Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said Ramaphosa had signed off on a determination to increase salaries of all public office bearers.

The increase backdated to April 2022.

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“Having considered the commission’s recommendations and serious economic challenges facing the country, the president has decided that the salaries of all public office bearers be increased by three percent.

“The president has in accordance to relevant statutory requirements submitted the notice to Parliament for approval before publication in as far as it relates to salaries of judges and magistrates,” Magwenya said in a statement.

The salary hike means Ramaphosa’s annual salary would be just under R3.2 million, while other top officials, including the chief justice and National Assembly speaker, would earn just over R3 million per year.

‘Office bearers overpaid’

The increase was rejected by Finance Minister, Enoch Godongwana back in April and suggested a lower salary hike instead given the current economic climate in the country.

Despite South Africa’s gross domestic product (GDP) growing by 0.4% during the first quarter of the year, the country has experienced a number of negative factors including load shedding.

Godongwana believed that some ministers, lawmakers and some judges were overpaid.

Therefore, he recommended a 1.5% increase, plus a once-off cash payment meaning their baseline salaries would not increase in coming years.

In addition, the commission’s report revealed that some judges had demanded higher salary increases than what Godongwana believed they deserved.

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