Ramaphosa scraps ministerial handbook amendments — here are some of the perks ministers will be losing

After public backlash over ministers and deputies enjoying unlimited free water and electricity at their official residences, President Cyril Ramaphosa has withdrawn the latest amendments to the ministerial handbook.

Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya on Monday announced that the recent changes to the controversial handbook would be withdrawn.

Magwenya said Ramaphosa was aware of dissatisfaction with the new amendments that gave ministers and their deputies several new benefits.

“President Ramaphosa has ordered the withdrawal process of the presidential minute on the executive members’ guide, commonly known as the ministerial handbook, for 2022. The withdrawal will give effect to the 2019 version of the guide, pending a review.

“President Ramaphosa acknowledges and appreciates the public sentiments on the matter. However, the impression created that the amendments were conducted in secrecy and to avoid public scrutiny is false,” Magwenya said.

Perks ministers and deputies will be losing

Ramaphosa signed off on the amended handbook, which removed the R5,000 per month cap on utilities covered by the government. 

According to the previous handbook, the public works department was responsible for providing water and electricity, provided the cost is limited to R5,000 per month.

Ministers were also allowed as many as 15 aides, including “food aides” and “household aides”.

Ministers were entitled to appoint one “household aide”, essentially a domestic worker, in Pretoria and another in Cape Town, as they are allocated official residences in both the administrative and legislative capitals.

Each member of the executive was also entitled to hire a “driver/messenger”. Ministers who are responsible for more than one portfolio could hire a “portfolio co-ordinator” — a position that comes with a pay package of just more than R1.1m a year.

Perks ministers and deputies now enjoy

In 2019, AfricaCheck looked at the cabinet handbook and detailed car allowances, official vehicles and free accommodation for ministers. 

It stated departments must pay for domestic workers and the department of public works pay for renovations at state-owned homes used by ministers.

Cabinet members and their spouses may book flight tickets for official international trips and six domestic flights for official use per year. National members and their spouses are jointly eligible for 20 single domestic economy class flight tickets a year at the expense of their department. 

They are encouraged to use VIP airport lounges for security purposes. Dependent children get six single economy class flights per year to travel to their parents.

When travelling on official business, members, spouses and dependent children stay in hotels in line with their “status”, which can be five-star rated.

It reported cabinet members’ departments pay for all “reasonable” out-of-pocket expenses connected with the subsistence of the members, their spouses or family members who need to accompany them when travelling on official international business.

'A victory for the people'

DA MP and shadow public service and administration minister Leon Schreiber said the withdrawal of the amendments was a “famous victory against ANC cadre corruption and for the people of South Africa”. 

Schreiber said the DA would persist in its efforts to reform the ministerial handbook system.

“Instead of Ramaphosa having dictatorial powers to dish out patronage to his cabinet colleagues, it must be parliament, through an open, transparent and participatory process, that decides on limited cabinet benefits that may be appropriate in particular cases. We hope the public protector will agree with us on this.”

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