The salaries of public office-bearers should be increased by 5,75% for the 2005/06 financial year, a special commission proposed on Friday.
The South African Reserve Bank’s inflation target of between 3% and 6% was one of the factors taken into consideration in making its recommendation, the Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office-Bearers said in a statement.
The increase should become effective from April 1 this year.
The commission makes annual recommendations to the president on the salaries, benefits and allowances of public office-bearers.
Last year, President Thabo Mbeki rejected a commission recommendation of 7%, and replaced it with a maximum pay rise of 6%.
Another factor taken into account in its decision-making process, the commission said, was consumer inflation — estimated to average 4,5% for the year.
It had not considered public-service salary negotiations or ”other potential distractions”.
The commission said it consulted the ministers of finance and justice in its deliberations, as well as the chief justice and public office-bearers’ representatives.
Based on some submissions, it had decided to recommend the allocation of motor-vehicle allowances to senior magistrates and magistrates.
”The commission considered it completely inappropriate that senior magistrates and magistrates often have to make use of public transport in circumstances where they are extremely vulnerable to parties who may be seriously aggrieved by their judgements.”
The commission said a process to evaluate, benchmark and grade all positions of public office-bearers should be concluded by March next year.
This is aimed at converting the current remuneration system into a ”transparent, fair and equitable integrated ‘total cost to employer’ remuneration system”. — Sapa