Barry Streek
MPs will now get a basic salary package of R274 800 a year or R22 900 a month but their increases, published in the latest Government Gazette, come to a modest 4%.
Members of the National Assembly and the permanent members of the National Council of Provinces do get other perks – including, for some extraordinary reason, R40E000 of their salary tax-free – but the low level of increase is a strong indication that the government intends keeping a lid on civil service salary increases.
After this year’s below-inflation increase of 6% despite threats of strikes and tough negotiations with Minister of Public Service and Administration Minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi, civil servants seem unlikely to do any better next year.
According to the Government Gazette, MPs get a basic salary of R219 840 and a R54 960 car allowance.
Members of provincial legislatures receive slightly less – R264 652 a year – but still receive the R40 000 tax-free bonus.
The Speaker of the National Assembly and the chair of the National Council of Provinces, as well as the nine provincial premiers, receive R517 785 a year, including a R103 557 car allowance.
The African National Congress’s chief whip, Tony Yengeni, Democratic Party leader Tony Leon, in his capacity as leader of the opposition, and the chair of the South African Communist Party, Charles Nqakula, in his capacity as parliamentary counsellor to President Thabo Mbeki, all get the same salary – R360 766 including a car allowance of R72 153.
Chairs of parliamentary committees get R332 134, including a R66 427 car allowance, while the DP’s chief whip, Douglas Gibson, and the ANC’s deputy chief whip, Geoff Doidge, both get R321 886, including a R64 377 car allowance.
The state’s contribution to their pensions is set out in the rules of the Political Office Bearers Fund, while the state’s contribution to their medical aid is double the member’s contribution.
The salary increases, which were signed by Mbeki on November 17, have been backdated to April 1.