Former South Africa president Jacob Zuma.
President Jacob Zuma approved a salary hike of R45-million for government, despite earlier calls to freeze pay increases, the Sunday Independent reported.
The 5% pay hike applies to the 2013/2014 financial year and is for members of Zuma's executive, premiers and various other provincial and parliamentary government officials.
The newspaper said that its calculations suggested that the salary increase – signed by Zuma on January 3 and gazetted on Thursday– would amount to R45-million.
According to the Sunday Independent, the Independent Commission for the Renumeration of Public Office Bearers had previously – amongst other recommendations – suggested that the salaries of politicians earning R1-million or more not be increased.
However, presidential spokesperson Mac Maharaj said that Zuma had taken a number of factors into consideration in setting the pay hikes.
Amongst the increases, Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe would receive an additional R118 000; while national assembly speaker Max Sisulu and the national council of provinces chairperson Mninwa Mahlangu would each be getting about R100 000 more.
Premiers would receive an increase of about R94 000, reported the newspaper. – Sapa