The proposed salaries for Ramaphosa and government ministers this year

The Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers has gazetted its recommended salary increases for South Africa’s government officials in 2021.

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.

“The commission has considered the fiscal condition of the country demonstrated in the previous financial years (2018/2019 and 2019/2020), the state’s wage bill and the impact of Public Office Bearers’ salary increment on the fiscus and general economic status of the country which has been negatively affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, affordability of the fiscus, relevant legislation and all other factors referred to above.”

“As a result, the commission has recommended that there be no increment (0%) to the remuneration of all POBs’ categories.”

Last year, the commission recommended increases of only 3% for office bearers who earn above R1.5 million, and 4% for those earning below that.

The ultimate decision to increase salaries will fall on president Cyril Ramaphosa. The president’s salary will be subject to parliamentary approval.

Should salaries stay flat, members of the executive can expect to earn the following:

* pending Parliamentary approval

In 2020, Ramaphosa, the deputy president, and members of cabinet took a 33% pay cut for three months as part of a contribution to South Africa’s fight against the coronavirus, donating the money to the country’s Solidarity Fund.

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