The Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers has gazetted its recommended salary increases for South Africa’s government officials.
The commission is mandated to make annual recommendations relating to the salaries, allowances, benefits, and other resources required by some public office bearers to enable them to perform their respective duties effectively.
The recommendations are based on consultations with the minister of finance, the minister of Justice, the chief justice and Lower Courts Remuneration Committee, and the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs.
According to the gazette, the commission has taken into account the financial situation in the country, and has thus kept its recommended increases below inflation.
Specifically, it is recommending increases of only 3% for office bearers who earn above R1.5 million, and 4% for those earning below that.
This would see ministers earning R2.47 million a year, with deputy ministers at R2.04 million. Members of the National Assembly (and their NCOP counterparts) would take home R1.15 million.
A recommendation for president Cyril Ramaphosa is also included – at R3.08 million – however this is a determination to be made by parliament, as the president cannot set his own salary.
Opposition leaders are also set for a healthy payday, with main opposition leader (currently held by the DA’s John Steenhuisen) set for R1.65 million, and leaders of minority parties, like the EFF’s Julius Malema, on for R1.36 million.
While these recommendations are highly persuasive – and often implemented – the official salaries will only be officially determined and signed off by the Presidency at a later date.
In his 2019 Budget Speech, finance minister Tito Mboweni indicated that the public wage bill is unsustainable and emphasised that the national and provincial budgets will be reduced by R27 billion over the next three years.
To reduce the expenditure on remuneration, he indicated that members of Parliament, provincial legislatures and executives at public entities will not receive a salary increase during 2019/2020 financial year.
This cost-cutting has influenced the commissions’ recommendations, with a number of government officials receiving no increase or increase in-line with inflation.
The commissions’ recommendations are outlined below.
President, Deputy president, Ministers and Deputy Ministers
| Position | Total remuneration |
|---|---|
| President | R3 079 540* |
| Deputy President | R2 910 234 |
| Minister | R2 473 682 |
| Deputy Minister | R2 037 129 |
* pending Parliamentary approval
Members of the National Assembly and Delegates to the National Council of Provinces
| Position | Total remuneration |
|---|---|
| Speaker: National Assembly | R2 910 234 |
| Chairperson: NCOP | R2 910 234 |
| Deputy Speaker: National Assembly | R2 037 129 |
| Deputy Chairperson: NCOP | R2 037 129 |
| House Chairperson | R1 938 963 |
| Chief Whip: Majority Party | R1 648 481 |
| Chief Whip: NCOP | R1 648 481 |
| Parliamentary Council: President | R1 648 481 |
| Parliamentary Council: Deputy President | R1 648 481 |
| Leader of Opposition | R1 648 481 |
| Chairperson of a Committee | R1 513 216 |
| Deputy Chief Whip: Majority Party | R1 361 946 |
| Chief Whip: Largest Minority Party | R1 361 946 |
| Leader of a Minority Party | R1 361 946 |
| Whip | R1 263 818 |
| Member: National Assembly | R1 151 218 |
| Permanent Delegate: NCOP | R1 151 218 |
Premiers, Executive Councils and Provincial Legislatures
| Position | Total remuneration |
|---|---|
| Premier | R2 328 221 |
| Member of Executive Council | R2 037 129 |
| Speaker | R2 037 129 |
| Deputy Speaker | R1 648 481 |
| Chief Whip: Majority Party | R1 513 216 |
| Chairperson of Committees | R1 361 949 |
| Leader of Opposition | R1 361 949 |
| Chairperson of a Committee | R1 361 949 |
| Deputy Chairperson of Committees | R1 281 353 |
| Deputy Chief Whip: Majority Party | R1 281 353 |
| Chief Whip: Largest Minority Party | R1 281 353 |
| Leader of a Minority Party | R1 281 353 |
| Parliamentary Counsellor to a King/Queen | R1 151 218 |
| Whip | R1 151 218 |
| Member of Provincial Legislature | R1 114 205 |
Local Government
| Position | Total remuneration |
|---|---|
| Executive Mayor | R1 384 007 |
| Mayor | R1 384 007 |
| Deputy Executive Mayor | R1 117 749 |
| Speaker/Chairperson | R1 117 749 |
| Deputy Mayor | R1 117 749 |
| Member of Executive Council | R1 052 904 |
| Member of Mayoral Committee | R1 052 904 |
| Chairperson of Sub-council | R1 052 904 |
| Whip | R1 052 904 |
| Municipal Councillor | R610 213 |
Judges
| Position | Total remuneration |
|---|---|
| Chief Justice | R2 982 990 |
| Deputy Chief Justice | R2 684 621 |
| President: Supreme Court of Appeal | R2 684 621 |
| Deputy President: Supreme Court of Appeal | R2 535 524 |
| Judge: Constitutional Court | R2 386 427 |
| Judge: Supreme Court of Appeal | R2 386 427 |
| Judge President: High/Labour Court | R2 237 330 |
| Deputy Judge President: High/Labour Court | R2 088 058 |
| Judge: High/Labour Court | R1 938 961 |
Magistrates
| Position | Total remuneration |
|---|---|
| Special Grade Chief Magistrate | R1 494 389 |
| Regional Court President | R1 494 389 |
| Regional Magistrate | R1 340 866 |
| Chief Magistrate | R1 340 866 |
| Senior Magistrate | R1 111 447 |
| Magistrate | R1 010 515 |
Others
| Position | Total remuneration |
|---|---|
| King/Queen | R1 254 393 |
| Senior Traditional Leaders | R267 091 |
| Auditor General | R5 233 022 |
| Chairperson of the Independent Electoral Commission | R2 498 817 |
| Public Protector | R2 386 427 |
| Chairperson of the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa | R1 937 158 |
Government Remuneration by BusinessTech on Scribd
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