Samwu, minister on collision course

Trade union cries foul over pay hikes for managers amounting to R200k a year

The largest union representing local government workers, Samwu, is unhappy with Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Des van Rooyen’s decision to raise municipal managers pay by up to R200 000 a year.

This week, Van Rooyen announced pay hikes for municipal managers and managers reporting to them.

Salaries of municipal and senior managers will range from a minimum of R741 000 to more than R3.73-million in 2017/18 depending on a municipality’s size, according to Van Rooyen’s determination.

Last year, the salaries ranged from R700 000 to R3.52-million a year.

The annual minimum wage for municipal workers is R82 141.08 or R6 845.09 a month, according to the SA Local Government Bargaining Council (SALGBC).

Samwu president Pule Molalenyane said huge discrepancies existed between municipal executives and managers and ordinary workers who implement local government’s mandate.

“We are shocked that the minister is increasing their salaries while municipalities are collapsing,” said Molalenyane, adding that the auditor-general’s office uncovers rot in municipalities annually.

In his explanation for the increases, Van Rooyen said he wanted to ensure that salaries of municipal and senior managers were “cost effective, consistent, internally balanced [equitable] and externally competitive”.

Samwu and the Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union have submitted their joint wage demands at the SALGBC.

The unions want the minimum wage increased to R10 000 a month or an acrossthe-board salary increase of 15% or R3 155, and a monthly housing allowance of R2 000.