South African taxpayers to fork out for MPs leaving Parliament
Parliament will spend R111 million on ‘loss of office’ gratuities for the 159 MPs who failed to return after the May national elections.
The Sunday Times reports that the golden handshakes are the equivalent of four months’ salary for every five-year term completed, and are paid over and above normal pension benefits.
This is in stark contrast to the workers in the private sector who typically receive one week’s pay for every year worked.
Because of the significant cost to the fiscus, these ‘loss of office’ gratuities may ultimately be scrapped alongside a number of other perks which are currently offered to MPs.
Presenting in parliament this week Vusi Mavuso, the divisional head for members’ support services, said that taxpayers spend R120 million a year on airline tickets for approximately 2,000 current and former MPs, ministers and their dependents, including children and spouses.
Other perks they enjoy include heavily subsided three-course meals, a R120,000 a year car/travel allowance, and taxpayer-sponsored phones, tablets and laptops.
Mavuso said in a meeting of the joint standing committee on the financial management of parliament this week, that some of these benefits could be forfeited.
However, MPs will reportedly reject these attempts, with some insisting “they deserve even more gravy”, the Sunday Times said.
Perks
In June, government published its revised guide for members of the executive, effectively replacing the controversial ministerial handbook introduced in 2007.
The new guide covers everything from relocation expenses to cars, with most of the new perks appearing to be largely the same or slightly reined in from the previous ministerial handbook.
This guide also describes the new powers given to finance minister Tito Mboweni to directly curb spending on transport and other luxuries.
Some of the biggest and most notable perks and changes included:
- National Members shall be provided with one vehicle for official use in each seat of office. Provincial Members shall be provided with one vehicle for official use;
- In the event that an official vehicle is not procured for a member, they may be reimbursed for using their own private vehicle;
- Departments may only replace a motor vehicle purchased for a member if the vehicle has reached 120,000 km or 5 years, or if the car experiences serious mechanical problems and is in a poor condition;
- National Members and their spouses are also jointly entitled to 30 (thirty) single domestic business class flight tickets per annum;
- The state will contribute up to R250,000 in security upgrades to a member’s home;
- The ministry of departmental works will be responsible for paying for water and lights as well as employing a domestic worker for these homes;
- Rentals for phones (as well as the costs of official calls), the installation and maintenance of fax, internet/wifi and DSTV facilities will be paid for by the department.
Read: All the free perks for ministers in the updated ministerial handbook
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