President Cyril Ramaphosa Approves Salary Increase for Public Office Bearers, South Africans Annoyed

• President Cyril Ramaphosa has greenlit a recommendation for public officer bearers to get a salary increase
• Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya noted that there would be an increase by 4.1% and 3.8% in different categories
• South Africans weighed in on the news, criticising the decision and questioning why office bearers deserved more money

Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He spent 10 years working for the Northern Natal Courier before transitioning to online journalism.

GAUTENG – South Africans are not impressed with the news that public office bearers will be getting a salary increase.

Public office bearers could be set for an increase with effect from 1 April 2025. President Cyril Ramaphosa backed a recommendation by an independent commission for an increase in the remuneration of public office bearers.

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The uMkhonto weSizwe Party previously rejected a Parliamentary approval that Ramaphosa’s salary be increasd.

Who will be getting an increase?

According to the presidency spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, Ramaphosa greenlit the recommendation for an increase.

“The president, however, decided to increase the salary of public office bearers by 4.1% and 3.8% in different categories,” Magwenya said on Tuesday, 20 January 2026.

Judges, magistrates, traditional leaders and members of independent constitutional institutions will receive a 4.1% increase, while members of the national executive, members of parliament, provincial executive councils and provincial legislatures will receive a 3.8% to their salaries.

The recommendation was made by the Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office-Bearers. The independent commission is mandated to make annual recommendations relating to the salaries of the public office bearers.

How were the recommendations made:

Magwenya explained that several factors were considered in making the decision. This includes the role of the officer bearers, as well as the status, duties, functions and responsibilities. Inflation and the available resources of the state were also considered.

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South Africans not impressed with Ramaphosa’s decisions

Social media users weighed in on Ramaphosa’s decisions, but many criticised it, saying that many officer bearers didn’t deserve the increase.

Mike Geyer stated:

‘Majority of them do diddly squat.”

Astina Thelady asked:

“Why does he not say, ‘no we have not done enough, and we need to see more progress on the employment side before we think of ourselves’?"

Kendo Claasen noted:

“Their increases are like R50,000 while pension increases are like R10.”

Jenny Chauvet agreed:

“And pensioners got a measly R10 increase in 2025. I wonder what they'll get for 2026.”

Klaus Becker said:

“I thought the government had no money. The country’s economy is growing at a rate of under 1 %, but increases are between 3.8% and 4%. Well done, cadre sociology.”

Ace Ace added:

“Incompetent ministers are getting a raise while stealing money.”

Anthony Waldhausen stated:

“See how they get rewarded for poor governance and poor service delivery.”

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Carol Cherrington said:

“They do not deserve increases. Just look at the poor people, who are starving, no jobs, no homes, no food.”

Taxpayers paid over R1-billion for public office bearers’ VIP protection

Briefly News reported that more than R1 billion has been spent keeping public servants, including ministers, and members of legislatures, safe.

The VIP protection services for South Africa's public officers have cost the taxpayers R171 million for the past five years.

This is in addition to he over R1 billion that is spent for the protection of President Cyril Ramaphosa, ministers, and deputy ministers.

Source: Briefly News