The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) strongly rejects the Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers’ recommended 4.1% salary increase for Members of Cabinet, Parliament, Provincial Legislatures, Municipal Councils, various government commissions as well as the Judiciary. This generous increase for politicians sends a message to an increasingly frustrated society of a political elite that is dangerously out of touch with the lived realities of millions of ordinary South Africans.
It is beyond shameful that in the year when Cabinet said the state did not have money to fulfill its legal obligations and thus a 2% VAT hike was unavoidable, that this tone-deaf Commission can make such an obnoxious proposal. It defies logic that a month after the Minister for Finance, Mr. Enoch Godongwana, warned Parliament and the nation that further tax hikes may be a necessity in 2026, that the Commission thought proposing an additional R536 million to fund the salaries of politicians, commissioners and judges is morally justifiable. Most galling is the inclusion of the 9 331 local government Councillors under whose watch the state of municipal finances and services has deteriorated at an alarming rate, with numerous municipalities failing to pay their employees’ salaries, pensions, medical aids and taxes.
If government has spare funds, then these must be utilised to hire the doctors, nurses, teachers, police officers and other frontline workers needed to provide essential services to working class communities and the economy.
It is beyond abysmal that this out of touch Commission even ignored Minister Godongwana’s more prudent recommendations for a 4.1% increase for judges and magistrates and a more modest increase of 3.5% for public representatives. COSATU agrees with Minister Godongwana that there is a need to treat judges and magistrates separately as these are persons with extensive legal qualifications and experience. This is necessary in order to retain their skills and knowledge and avoid a brain drain upon an already overwhelmed judicial system.
Public representatives, however, need to lead by example and when government has motivated for tax increases, including failing to adjust income tax brackets for low and middle income earners for inflation for two successive years, then there can be no justification whatsoever for them to receive an increase.
It is long overdue that this clumsy Commission be instructed to submit its proposals for public comment before tabling them to the President for his approval. These are workers’ hard-earned taxes and they deserve to be afforded the courtesy of being allowed to make their views heard. Government must amend the terms of reference for such increases to be linked to the performance of public representatives and the institutions they are required to oversee.
COSATU urges President Cyril Ramaphosa to reject this ill-considered proposal by the Commission and to amend it with an inflationary 3.5% for members of the judiciary and a performance based 0% for public representatives.
Issued by COSATU
Matthew Parks (COSATU Parliamentary Coordinator)
Mobile: 082 785 0687
Email: matthew@cosatu.org.za
