Parliament on Tuesday approved a salary increase for President Cyril Ramaphosa despite opposition from his ardent critics, the EFF and MK Party.
This after ANC chief whip Mdumiseni Ntuli tabled a draft motion in response to the recommendation made by the Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers in May.
Ramaphosa has not had a salary increase since he became the president in 2018.
The commission had recommended a 3% annual increase for the 2023-24 financial year and a 2.5% increase for 2024-25 for all office bearers, including Ramaphosa.
It had agreed that an adjustment for cost of living increase be recommended for 2023-24 and 2024-25, and stated that covering the period will prevent the continuation of the time lag on the current remuneration.
“The commission has considered the fiscal condition of the State demonstrated in the previous financial years, that is 2022-23, the State’s wage bill, the impact of public office bearers’ salary increment on the fiscus, previous President’s determination and general economic stats of the country.”
In his motion, Ntuli said the National Assembly should determine the salary payable to the President as reflected in the government gazette containing the Independent Commission for Remuneration of Public Office Bearers’ annual remuneration recommendations and further determine that the amount of R120 000 per annum as that portion of the remuneration of Ramaphosa shall apply.
MK Party chief whip Mzwanele Manyi said it was naive for the commission to “approve” the salary increment for Ramaphosa.
“This recommendation along with Ramaphosa’s likely acceptance raises serious concerns about ethical leadership and insensitivity to struggles of ordinary South Africans,” Manyi said.
He claimed that civil servants were denied a salary increase and faced retrenchment amid cost-containment measures. Approving the salary increase is an insult to the nation.”
Manyi said the public was asked to sacrifice, yet leaders of the government with personal wealth stood to gain further from public funds.
“The MK Party rejects this salary adjustment in the strongest terms. It is betrayal of the public trust and an affront to millions of South Africans who queue for a mere R350,” he said.
EFF’s Natasha Ntlangwini said Ramaphosa as a billionaire did not deserve a salary increase because taxpayers took care of his well-being.
She accused the President of failing to grow the economy and refused inflation adjusted salaries for civil servants and continuation of the R350 grants, among other things.
ActionSA parliamentary leader Athol Trollip said the motion should have been based on performance if government was a corporate body.
Trollip said the country’s performance in GDP not suitable to give anybody an increase.
However, he threw his weight behind the salary increment.
“We support it because it is below the inflation,” he said before calling for consistency on all public office if there was a view some should not get a salary increase.
In his response, Ntuli agreed with Trollip that the salary increase was below the inflation rate.
“That makes it reasonable,” he said. Ntuli also said the recommendation, not an approval, was made by an independent commission.
“We are supporting this as, firstly, it is below inflation,” he said adding that Ramaphosa has not had an increment since he took office.
All other parties in the Government of National Unity – DA, IFP, Freedom Front Plus, Patriotic Alliance, UDM, Rise Mzansi, BOSA, and PAC –supported the motion.
When National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza asked if there were objection, only the MK Party, the EFF and UAT raised objections.
“I don’t see any other hands, and therefore, the motion is agreed to,” Didiza said.
Cape Times