President Cyril Ramaphosa has approved recommendations for salary increases for various public office bearers (POBs), including Deputy President David Mabuza, Ministers and Deputy Ministers.
The Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers recommended a 3 percent salary increase for POBs in March. The President is mandated to approve or decline such recommendations except for his own salary, which Parliament will decide on.
Mabuza, Ministers and Deputy Ministers get salary increases
Ramaphosa’s approvals are contained in three proclamation notices published in the government gazette on Tuesday (14 June).
David Mabuza’s salary in 2022
According to the first proclamation notice, Deputy President David Mabuza’s salary in 2022 will be R2,910,234 per annum, up from R2,825,470.
If Parliament approves the Commission’s recommended increase for Ramaphosa, he will earn R3,079,540, an increase from his current R2,989,845.
Ministers salary in South Africa
Ministers will now earn R2,473,682 per annum in 2022, up from R2,401,633. Deputy Ministers will earn R2,037,129 compared to the previous R1,977,795.
Other POBs
The Speaker of National Assembly Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces Amos Masondo will now earn R2,910,234, according to the second proclamation notice.
Salaries for the Deputy Speaker, Deputy Chairperson, House Chairperson, Chief Whips, Leader of the Opposition, Committee Chairpersons and ordinary MPs are listed in the table below.
In the provincial sphere of government, Premiers will earn R2,328,221 and MECs R2,037,129, according to the third proclamation notice. Salaries for other POBs in this sphere are shown below.
The Commission did not recommend increases last year. Its recommendation for increases this year was heavily criticised by labour federation COSATU, which is also likely to criticise the President’s decision.
“This is a tone deaf and embarrassing recommendation that should be rejected by President Cyril Ramaphosa and South Africans in general,” COSATU spokesperson Sizwe Pamla said in a statement in April.
“The elite of this country is ganging up and declaring a class war against the taxpayers and the poor. The huge salaries and benefits that are paid to political office bearers and senior bureaucrats are the source of the existing inequalities and unacceptable income disparities that currently exist in the public service.”