Although the average citizen most likely was kept in the dark about the issue on purpose, national and provincial as well as local politicians saw hefty salary increases at the end of January.
Based on recommendations by the Independent Commission for Remuneration of Public Office Bearers, President Zuma signed off a R45 million salary hike for National and Provincial office bearers.
Local-government politicians were not forgotten. Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Lechesa Tshenoli signed off salary hikes to the value of R122 million for City of Johannesburg office bearers. These hikes that were published in the Government Gazette of 29 January meant salary increases for the city’s 230 councillors, 17 committee chairpersons, 10 mayoral committee members, the Chief Whip and Speaker.
Executive Mayor Parks Tau did not qualify because he already receives a remuneration package of R1 million a year. Some of those who did benefit though were a four per cent increase for Speaker Constance Bapela (who currently earns R888 704) and Chief Whip Prema Naidoo, and the members of the mayoral committee (MMCs) who receive annual salaries of R833 158.
Committee chairpersons will receive an increase of R39 000 per year, which will bring their salaries to R825 000.
There is also a seven per cent increase for councillors on their current R400 023 salaries, which brings it to a neat R428 000. (An increase of more or less R35 700.)
Cellphone packages for mayors and councillors will cost the taxpayer R5,4 million a year. Mayor Tau receives R3 319 per month for his cellphone and councillors R1 656 per month each for theirs.
In the financial year 2012/13 the City spent R7,5 billion on “employee-related costs”.
For the full story with more shocking revelations, read next week’s edition of the Record.
