Suspended Sol officials to still get an increase

KIMBERLEY’S municipal manager and chief financial officer, who are both currently on suspension, are set to receive a 5.1% cost of living increase on their salary.

While the proposed increase for senior managers still needs to be approved by the council’s Corporate Services and Human Resources Committee, it is based on the South African Local Government’s (Salga) salary and wage collective agreement.

On the agenda of this month’s Corporate Services and Human Resources Committee it was pointed out that the main collective agreement regarding salary increases for municipal employees did not include senior managers.

Municipal employees will receive a 7% increase for the 2018/19 financial year, while employees who earn a basic salary of R9 000 or less will receive a further 0.5% increase.

The minimum wage payable for municipal employees is R7 324.24 per month with effect from July 1 2018. The increase for senior managers, meanwhile, is based on the CPI level as at July 2017, which is 5.1%.

“As a guiding principle, the effective date recommended is July 1 2018 unless individual circumstances for municipalities dictate otherwise,” the report drawn up by the manager of human resources for consideration by the council’s Corporate Services and Human Resources Committee, states.

The recommendation submitted to the committee is that council adopts the Guiding Framework for Determination of cost of living adjustments for section 56/57 managers and that the 5.1% cost of living adjustment for the municipal manager and senior managers accountable to the municipal manager be implemented from July 1 2018.

While the matter was due to be discussed at this week’s Corporate Services and Human Resources Committee, none of the three meetings scheduled took place.

According to a notice issued by the municipality the meetings were postponed “until further notice due to the debugging of the political offices”.

The municipal manager and chief financial officer have been on paid suspension since July and during this time officials are being paid acting allowances to act in their posts. – Patsy Beangstrom