It is sheer hypocrisy for ANC Members of Parliament to question the salary of the Public Protector, Thuli Madonsela. This is done no doubt to intimidate her. Carrying out her duties without fear or favour as prescribed by the Constitution can result in a big salary chop.
The more she asserts her independence and autonomy, the more punitive the ruling party will be. Sycophants, cronies and loyalists are richly rewarded while those who take their jobs seriously are castigated and how best to do it, is to tamper with remuneration.
That is what public service has been reduced to. The more competent, the greater the sanction; the more corrupt, the higher the promotion!
Remember the four MPs implicated in the Travel Scandal who were promoted to oversight positions of Portfolio Committees. What about the Free State municipal manager whose salary was increased to R900 000 per annum for running the Naledi municipality into the ground.
DA councillor Mel Haddad revealed that Nceba Thukane's increase in salary was for failing to deliver services effectively; for generating merely 8% in revenue through municipal billing; for owing bulk water supplier, Bloemwater, R17 million; for allowing sewage to spill into the "streets of Wepenaar and roads in Dewetsdorp."
Then there is the saga about the honourable Secretary of Parliament, Zingile Dingani, who earns R1.8 million a year. Coerced into taking leave pending an investigation into an advance of R186 000 to secure a wall around his house, he, like many, feel entitled to taxpayers' money even for their private wants.
Those who most need a review of their salaries are our Members of Parliament. Besides, those travel scandal crooks who still occupy the benches have no right to put Madonsela's salary under scrutiny. Recently Parliament itself announced that it would sanction those members of Parliament who are more absent than present in their jobs.
Apart from the many recesses MPs enjoy, they are actually allowed to be absent for 15 days a year over and above all the holidays they enjoy. Many MPs are simply paid for being more absent than present, both in mind and body!
The leader in the pack is Winnie Mandela who throughout her term of office uses Parliament as a "holiday resort" to quote ANC Chief Whip Motshega. Many Bills could not be passed due to a lack of a quorum and Chief Whips have become useless in disciplining Parliamentarians.
It is one thing to request a review of public sector and state salaries; it is another to pick on one post and question the attached salary. The public sector wage bill is indeed a drain on the economy and needs a real overhaul as recently revealed that the public sector salary bill is 40% higher than that of the private sector.
This is unsustainable and needs urgent investigation given the gross lack of performance of public servants. However, the ulterior motives of ANC MPs are so transparent given that they never questioned the salaries of the previous Public Protectors.
Worse, MPs cared less about their performance but more about their willingness to cover up corruption and protect the ruling party. What we also see now is a glaring gender bias. As a woman, Madonsela does not know her place, and the dishonourable legislators just want her to know that she owes her good fortune to them!
This article first appeared in Die Burger.
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