Pretoria - Members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) will receive salary increases as of July this year, said the department's Chief of Human Resources, Lieutenant-General Derrick Mgwebi.
In December last year, Commander-in-Chief, President Jacob Zuma, announced that the increase would range from 2 to 65 percent for all members of the SANDF on salary levels 2 to 12 with effect from December 1, 2009 and be backdated to July 1, 2009.
However, in an effort to minimize risks and errors made with calculations, the back pay of the 1 July 2009 salary increases will only be effected in July this year.
Addressing the media in Pretoria today, Lieutenant-General Mgwebi said the delay in the payment of salary increases was because the department wanted to ensure that there were no errors.
"We want to minimize discrepancies and ensure that there are no errors," he said.
Lieutenant-General Mgwebi also said the delay in the payment of salaries was due to the large number of personnel the department had. About 55 000 defence personnel are due to receive their salary increases.
SANDF members in lower ranks would get the biggest increases, with second year trainee soldiers getting a 102 percent increase, from a current gross salary of R2 643 to a salary of R5 343.
With regards to payments of housing allowances to officials occupying state housing, Lieutenant-General Mgwebi said housing allowance payments had stopped with effect from May 1 this year.
"Officials who occupy state housing and who qualify in terms of the DOD Instruction were invited to reapply for the housing allowance before 31 August 2010. Necessary steps are also put in place to address applications in respect of members who are currently deployed outside the borders of the Republic," he said.
He added that officials who are currently receiving the housing allowance will not be required to pay back the money
