Cosatu says it is deeply disappointed that President Cyril Ramaphosa has decided to grant a salary increase of 3% to Public Office Bearers. This is on the recommendation of the Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers of 3.8%.
The increment also applies to members of the Independent Constitutional Institutions, Judges, Magistrates and Traditional Leaders for the 2022/2023 financial year. It is still subject to approval by Parliament.
Cosatu’s coordinator in Parliament, Matthew Parks says instead this increase must go to improve the salaries of public servants at the coal face of service delivery.
“We think it’s wrong decision, timing bad, the optics are disaster, whatever money state has should be geared towards max relief and protections to workers at bottom who can least afford to survive who are heavily indebted, who are struggling to cope with rising inflation, should not be used to further pamper members of cabinet who can easily sit for few years with no increase,” says Parks.
The Federation of Unions of South Africa (Fedusa) has also decried the 3% salary increase for public office bearers.
Fedusa’s General Secretary Riefdah Ajam says the deserving of increases is debatable in the current economic climate.
“Taking into account increase of 15% electricity tariffs on 1st July, how must ordinary South Africans with minimum wage able to respond to those kinds of challenges. Taking into account a 3% increase on what public office bearers are being awarded,” says Ajam.
Source: SABC News
