Cyril Ramaphosa Grants 3% Salary Hike for Ministers and Other Public Office Bearers Due to Economic Hardship

• President Cyril Ramaphosa has approved a 3% salary increase for South Africa's public office bearers
• The Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers initially recommended a 3.8% increase
• Trade unions Cosatu and Nehawu have expressed outrage over the pay hike, given that workers' requests have been snubbed

PRETORIA - Public office bearers are in for a salary hike after President Cyril Ramaphosa signed off on a 3% pay increase.

The president's decision comes after the Independent Commission for the Remuneration Of Public Office Bearers recommended a 3.8% pay increase.

In a statement released on Saturday, 1 July, the presidency claimed that Ramaphosa approved a 3% increase after considering the recommendations and the economic challenges facing South Africa.

The public office bearers in for a pay rise include SA's ministers, judges, magistrates and traditional healers.

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Cosatu and Nehawu outraged by public office bearers' 3% increase

The pay increase has been met with outrage from several trade unions who have rejected Ramaphosa's decision.

Cosatu and the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) have been outspoken about their disapproval.

Nehawu General Secretary Zola Saphetha said that the public office bearers' pay increase was shocking because public service workers have not been offered above-inflation increases.

Saphetha added that the burden of bankrolling the pay increase would fall on the shoulders of workers and ordinary citizens, SowetanLIVE reported.

South Africans express displeasure over public office bearers' pay increase

Citizens don't think South Africa's public office bearers deserve the 3% pay hike.

Below are some comments:

@rayale26 complained:

"3% increase for messing up the economy and allowing unemployment to be the highest in the world what a proud achievement."

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@MichelleJacobsJ suggested:

"Increases should be based on performance."

@makatlis13 asked:

"Where did the money come from?"

@Sanush28 demanded:

"They should take a pay cut!"

@Taneshan_23 criticised:

"Ya, give them all increases for doing nothing, yet people are starving, struggling, stressing."

@zeddarcee added:

"Is he going to pay this from his own pocket? The taxpayers of the country certainly can’t afford it. Based on performance, a wage decrease is actually in order."

Stats SA reveals that the average South African salary is up 6.8% from Q1 in 2022

In another story, Briefly News reported that the latest statistics reveal that the average South African salary is up 6.8% from the first quarter of 2022.

According to Stats SA's quarterly employment survey for the first quarter of 2023, the average salary is now R25 304 monthly.

While the latest stat is a relatively significant increase from last year's quarter, it is also a 2.7% decrease from the previous quarter, where the average was R26 002.

Source: Briefly News