Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader Gayton McKenzie’s pledge to donate his salary and benefits as mayor of the Central Karoo district has sparked fierce debate online and calls for other politicians to do the same.
McKenzie was elected unopposed on Monday and promised residents his service would not cost the municipality.
“I came here to come and give. That is why I will donate 100% of my salary. While the enemy is busy checking [on] which land they can build, I’m going to give 100% to start fixing the pools for our children. I will not have a mayoral vehicle.
“The mayoral vehicle must be sold and an ambulance must be bought with the funds. I will not claim for any petrol or expenses. I want to cost this municipality nothing,” he said, adding he also did not want bodyguards.
According to proposed salary and benefits increases published recently in the Government Gazette, a mayor and executive mayor are set to earn R1.4m a year, or R117,423 a month.
In 2020, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that he, his executive and provincial premiers would all donate 33% of their salaries for three months to the Covid-19 Solidarity Fund.
The amount was reported to total about R13.4m.
Around the same time, former Johannesburg mayor Geoff Makhubo said he would donate his salary increase to the fund.
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