PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma has increased the salaries for all public office bearers by 4.4%, hours before Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan is expected to table his 2016 budget.
This, said a statement from the Presidency, was "below inflation" and "in line with the current economic climate".
Mr Gordhan is expected to deliver his budget on Wednesday amid tough economic conditions. He is widely expected to announce belt-tightening measures for the government in a bid to stave off further downgrades.
The Presidency said Mr Zuma decided on below-inflation increases for public office bearers — including Cabinet ministers, deputy ministers, MPs, premiers, MECs and members of provincial legislatures (MPLs) — after considering recommendations from the Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers and also taking into account the "economic climate, which has deteriorated".
Mr Zuma has increased the salaries of senior traditional leaders by 8%, 4.4% for kings and queens, by R91,000 for headmen and women and 5.5% for special-grade chief magistrate and chief magistrates.
The commission had recommended an increase of 5% for ministers and their deputies, MPs, premiers, MECs and MPLs.
The increases were announced as opposition political parties called on Mr Zuma to reduce the size of his Cabinet — the Congress of the People (COPE) said in a statement that Mr Gordhan should insist on a 60% reduction in the size of the Cabinet in his budget speech.
Ahead of Mr Zuma’s state of the nation address the Democratic Alliance (DA) announced a plan called Operation Hlasela Mafutha, or Cut the Fat, in which it called for the streamlining the government.
The party said at the time that the country could be efficiently run with a streamlined Cabinet of 15 ministers. There are currently 35 ministers and 37 deputy ministers.
President Jacob Zuma, far right, meets with Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan (left), Deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas (centre) and Treasury director-general Lungisa Fuzile (not pictured) to discuss the final touches to the budget 2016 at Genadendal in Cape Town on Tuesday. Picture: GCIS
PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma has increased the salaries for all public office bearers by 4.4%, hours before Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan is expected to table his 2016 budget.
This, said a statement from the Presidency, was "below inflation" and "in line with the current economic climate".
Mr Gordhan is expected to deliver his budget on Wednesday amid tough economic conditions. He is widely expected to announce belt-tightening measures for the government in a bid to stave off further downgrades.
The Presidency said Mr Zuma decided on below-inflation increases for public office bearers — including Cabinet ministers, deputy ministers, MPs, premiers, MECs and members of provincial legislatures (MPLs) — after considering recommendations from the Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers and also taking into account the "economic climate, which has deteriorated".
Mr Zuma has increased the salaries of senior traditional leaders by 8%, 4.4% for kings and queens, by R91,000 for headmen and women and 5.5% for special-grade chief magistrate and chief magistrates.
The commission had recommended an increase of 5% for ministers and their deputies, MPs, premiers, MECs and MPLs.
The increases were announced as opposition political parties called on Mr Zuma to reduce the size of his Cabinet — the Congress of the People (COPE) said in a statement that Mr Gordhan should insist on a 60% reduction in the size of the Cabinet in his budget speech.
Ahead of Mr Zuma’s state of the nation address the Democratic Alliance (DA) announced a plan called Operation Hlasela Mafutha, or Cut the Fat, in which it called for the streamlining the government.
The party said at the time that the country could be efficiently run with a streamlined Cabinet of 15 ministers. There are currently 35 ministers and 37 deputy ministers.
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