APPROVAL OF PRESIDENT’S SALARY INCREASE

4 June 2015

The Office of the ANC Chief Whip welcomes National Assembly’s approval of the recommendation by the Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers’ 5% salary increase for the 2014-2015 financial year. The Commission independently reviews and recommends salaries of public office bearers on an annual basis.

In January this year the commission recommended an increase of 5% for all office bearers, which includes the President, deputy president, ministers, deputy ministers and members of parliament.

Since taking office in 2009 the President has been sensitive to our people’s social and economic conditions, opting on various occasions for salary increases below those recommended by the Commission. Since 2010 the President has never approved or accepted the Commission’s recommended increase that is above the prevailing inflation rate.  

For instance, in the year that he came into office (2009) the commission recommended 8% but he reduced it to 7%; in 2010 the commission recommended 7% but he decided against it and substantially lowered it to 5%; and in 2013 the commission recommended 7% but the President decided totally against – opting for no increase at all.

In 2013 when the President refused to accept any increase, the MPs of opposition parties who today indulged in melodramatic posturing in opposition against the President’s recommended increase were happy to pocket the increase instead of following his lead.  

Further, the parties opposing the President’s recommended 5% increase have themselves accepted it for the same financial year. The cheap opportunism and rank hypocrisy of these parties is shameful.

Statement issued by the Office of the ANC Chief Whip, June 4 2015