SA’s top officials set for a 3.8% increase

The top echelon of South Africa's public servants – including cabinet minister, members of Parliament, judges, and traditional leaders – should get salary increases of 3.8%, President Cyril Ramaphosa has been advised.

The Presidency published the annual recommendation of the Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office-bearers, which must by law consider a range of factors, then give Ramaphosa a recommendation. He is ultimately responsible for deciding the pay of those office bearers, and he has a track record of coming in below the commission's recommendation.

Whichever way he goes, the commission's report makes clear, Ramaphosa can expect trouble.

During its consultations, the commission reported, finance minister Enoch Godongwana "pleaded with the commission to consider the prevailing adverse economic conditions and the extent to which the general population is affected by the low economic state in which the country finds itself."

Some ministers, lawmakers and some judges are overpaid, Godongwana said, tools-of-trade benefits mean public office bearers get effective increases above just their salary increases, there isn't money in the budget, and people may not be impressed to see them get a big increase.

Godongwana recommended 1.5%, plus a once-off cash payment of the kind given to bureaucrats and technocrats – and which do not increase the baseline salary when it comes to increases in future years.

If the 3.8% recommendation is implemented, Ramaphosa would earn just under R3.2 million per year.-Fin24