PODCAST | Ministers’ salaries may be market competitive, but have they earned it?
Image: Brandan Reynolds
Many taxpayers struggle to make ends meet, while ministers and their deputies, who earn between R2m and R2.5m a year, do not pay for municipal services such as water and electricity at their official residences.
City Press reported that the ministerial handbook was amended to remove a cap on municipal utilities for ministers and deputy ministers. However, President Cyril Ramaphosa recently withdrew amendments to the handbook and it is set to be reviewed.
According to the previous handbook, the public works department was responsible for providing water and electricity, provided the cost was limited to R5,000 a month.
In this debate our panel discusses the contentious issue of remuneration for public office bearers, notably cabinet ministers. Is the amount ministers are paid reasonable in light of their role? Are they performing well enough to deserve the remuneration and perks they get? Is the amount they are compensated considered market competitive?
This week our host Mike Siluma is joined by Mark Bussin, chair at 21st Century; Reuben Maleka, acting deputy GM at Public Servants Association of South Africa; and senior Sunday Times journalist Mawande AmaShabalala.
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