27 PA's for 27 councillors: Is this for real?
Emnambithi councillors in KwaZulu Natal (KZN) have voted to give themselves a 10% salary increase and 27 personal assistants for 27 ward councillors.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Emnambithi are running a local awareness campaign this week to build opposition to the R13.5 million bill for councillor benefits contained in the new budget passed by the ANC-majority council for Ladysmith and surrounding villages.
The council also budgeted R51 million for vehicles - enough for a fleet of luxury cars or around 300 Bantam bakkies.
To fund these expenses, the council plans to up electricity by 11%, rates by 10% and increase refuse removal and property taxes. DA councillors voted against the budget and will reject all benefits offered.
Around a third of households in the municipality do not have flushing toilets or water connections according to StatsSA estimates.