President freezes Cabinet increases

In a show of fiscal caution, president rules out increases for his deputy, ministers

THERE will be no salary increases for the deputy president, cabinet ministers and Parliament’s presiding officers, among others, this year, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced at the weekend.

Ramaphosa had set out remuneration for all levels of public office bearers for the 2018/19 financial year, the Presidency said.

While the Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers had recommended an increase of 4% across all categories of public office bearers, Ramaphosa had “determined otherwise”, the Presidency said.

Ramaphosa’s decision not to follow the commission’s recommendations was informed by the imperative that the state be considerate, responsive, and demonstrate restraint, especially during periods of economic hardship, when determining the level of salary increases for public representatives.

“The president appreciates that for government to have wider support for its programmes it must implement and demonstrate through practical actions its commitment to exercising prudence,” the Presidency said.

Accordingly, Ramaphosa had determined that there would be no annual salary increase for the deputy president, ministers, deputy ministers, the speaker of the National Assembly, the chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, the deputy speaker of the National Assembly, and the deputy chairperson of the National Council of Provinces.

The salaries and allowances of Constitutional Court judges and judges of

…the government must implement and demonstrate its commitment to exercising prudence

Presidency

other courts would be increased by 2.5% with effect from April 1 this year.

With regard to MPs, a 2.5% increase would apply to categories ranging from House chairperson, chief whip: majority party, leader of the opposition and whips, to members of the National Assembly and permanent delegates to the National Council of Provinces.

In provincial executives, premiers, members of executive councils, and speakers would not receive a salary increase. Members of provincial legislatures would receive a 2.5% increase.

Magistrates would benefit from a 4% salary adjustment, as would office bearers in both national and provincial houses of traditional leaders. Traditional kings and queens would be eligible for a 2.5% increase. Senior traditional leaders and headmen and women would receive a 4% increase, the Presidency said.

Ramaphosa had thanked the commission and National Treasury for their guidance in taking the final decision in the matter. The proclamations determining the salaries of these categories of public office bearers would be published in the Government Gazette, it said. |