Pretoria - The Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers (POBs) has recommended a 0% remuneration increase for most public office bearers, in line with the current state of the South African economy.
No adjustment will be made to the salaries of:
- All members of National Executive and Deputy Ministers
- All members of National Parliament
- All members of Provincial Executive and Legislature
- All Judges
- Local Government: Positions of Executive Mayor to Whip
- Traditional Leadership: Position of the King/Queen to Full-time Deputy Chairperson of Provincial House of Traditional Leaders
Briefing media in Pretoria on Friday on the 2016/17 Annual Remuneration Recommendations for POBs, the commission’s Deputy Chairperson, Matshego Ramagaga, said the recommendations were made after courtesy consultations with the Ministers of Finance and Justice and Correctional Services, the Chief Justice, the Lower Courts Remuneration Committee and the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs.
The Minister of Finance expressed serious concern regarding the state of the South African economy, increasing constraints on the fiscus, inflationary increases and the available resources of the state.
Ramagaga said the commission considered, in compliance with Section 8(6) of the Commission Act, factors including the role, status, duties and responsibilities of the POBs concerned; the affordability of different levels of remuneration of public office bearers; inflationary increases; current principles and levels of remuneration, particularly in respect of the organs as well as the available resources of the state.
The commission, however, recommended a 4% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for municipal councillors; 6% for all magistrates and full-time members of the National House of Traditional leaders (NHTL) and headmen/headwomen, and sitting allowances for all members of NHTL and Provincial House of Traditional leaders.
Once-off gratuity payment
The commission recommended that only non-returning municipal councillors, who served for a minimum period of 24 consecutive months prior to the 3 August 2016 Local Government Elections, qualify to receive the once-off gratuity payment.
The once-off gratuity payment must be paid based on the basic salary and not the annual total remuneration package “because the employer’s contributions towards the benefit funds are included in the total package”, Ramagaga said.
The 2016/17 recommendations were submitted to President Jacob Zuma on 18 October and to the National Parliament on 3 November 2016. They were published in Government Gazette No 40422 on 11 November 2016 and also uploaded in the commission’s website. – SAnews.gov.za
