Parliament’s cleaners, waiters and others to be paid more than teachers – receiving 100% pay rise
Parliament is set to double the salaries of its lowest-paid workers over the next three years, marking a significant shift in income for these employees.
By 2026, this group—which includes cleaners, cooks, and waitstaff—will see their annual earnings rise from R170,000 to R340,000, surpassing the typical salaries of entry-level teachers and police officers in South Africa.
This adjustment is the result of negotiations with the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu), which has long advocated for improved pay and benefits for workers in lower pay grades within Parliament, reported the Sunday Times.
Historically, many of these low-category workers were employed under cleaning and catering contracts and lacked the benefits of full-time employment.
About six years ago, following union pressure, these workers were formally absorbed into parliamentary staff at a base monthly salary of R14,166 per month.
Now, with the upcoming salary adjustments, these employees can expect to earn approximately R28,333 per month by March 2026, doubling their current earnings and creating a striking wage increase over the three-year period.
Sources told the Sunday Times that the pay increase will be rolled out incrementally.
A 10% raise will take effect next month, followed by a 40% increase in April 2024 and a final 50% boost in 2026.
By the end of the cycle, these workers’ salaries will exceed those of many other public sector employees, including police constables and junior teachers.
For instance, the South African Police Service (SAPS) reports an average salary of R299,000 per year, or R24,915 per month, for employees in its lowest skill levels.
Teachers in the public sector fare even lower, with starting salaries beginning around R154,671 per year, or R12,889 per month, according to the Department of Basic Education’s data.
Additionally, this increase would also mean that these parliamentary staff would earn more than the average formal, non-agricultural professionals in the private sector, whose salary averaged R27,450 per month as of Q2 2024.
This disparity has raised concerns among critics who argue that Parliament’s revised pay scale for these positions could create imbalances within the broader public service.
While essential workers in other government roles face budget constraints and limited salary increases, the wage hikes in Parliament underscore significant gaps in income distribution across different sectors of public employment.
Parliament, however, has defended the increase, framing it as a matter of rectifying past inequities.
Moloto Mothapo, Parliament’s spokesperson, explained that these adjustments address longstanding disparities between contracted workers absorbed into staff roles and those who had been permanent employees under existing salary scales.
The new salary alignment effectively eliminates what Parliament describes as an “unjust dual system” and ensures that all entry-level employees, regardless of job category, fall under a uniform pay structure.
Mothapo emphasised that Parliament is committed to equitable treatment and that this realignment reflects a deeper commitment to workplace equality and ethical labour practices.
The salary increases also involve a transition from an X-band pay scale to Parliament’s standard entry-level A-band.
This change not only brings the workers’ compensation up to par with parliamentary standards but also affirms a commitment to fair labour practices, added Mothapo.
Nehawu representative Sthembiso Tembe hailed the move as a long-awaited victory, stating that this reclassification into the A-band offers a sense of dignity and improved living standards for workers and their families.