It would be insensitive of the government to increase salaries of politicians and senior state officials while calling for cuts in the public sector wage bill.
The news of the consideration of the pay hikes broke this week after the recommendation by the Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers for a 3% rise in salaries and benefits for the president, deputy president, ministers and deputy ministers, premiers, MPs, justices, judges, magistrates and other senior officials.
The proposal was published in the government gazette after consultations with finance minister Enoch Godongwana, co-operative governance and traditional affairs minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and the chief justice's office.
President Cyril Ramaphosa, whose pay is approved by parliament, would have to sign this proposal to make it final.
We call on the president not to sign the proposed increases, as it would be hypocritical of government leaders to call for tightening of belts for others while they benefit.
Just more than a month ago, Godongwana called for the restructuring of the public sector wage bill. He said by “restructuring” he did not mean job losses but “to reduce the amount of money allocated for the wage bill”. These are the terms he plans to take to this year's salary increases negotiations with unions.
The ballooning civil servant bill has been cited as threat to SA finances, and cutting it would help the country back to fiscal stability. This led to public sector unions agreeing to a 1.5% increase in pensionable pay, with a monthly gratuity ranging from R1,200 to R1,600, last year.
This is an opportunity for the politicians to lead by example in this regard and take 0% increase. It would be unfair for leaders to get any increases while police, nurses, doctors and others go home with a pay rise that is less than inflation.
Despite the negative effects of Covid-19 on the economy, one of the biggest contributors to financial challenges in the government is corruption, in which some politicians are implicated.
They do not deserve their current salaries while presiding over a stagnant economy with citizens battling high cost of living as fuel and food prices rocket.
They must fix their house first by ensuring an environment where businesses can thrive and in turn grow the economy. Until then no pay increases.
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