The Presidency has defended salary increases for public office-bearers following criticism from trade unions COSATU and NEHAWU, insisting that President Cyril Ramaphosa did not determine the increases unilaterally but followed a process prescribed by law.
Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya addressed the criticism during a media briefing in Pretoria on Thursday, explaining that Ramaphosa had approved increases that were lower than those recommended by the Public Office-Bearers Commission, except in the case of judges and magistrates, whose salaries he suggested required greater attention.
Responding to questions about the unions’ objections, Magwenya said the commission was required to follow a comprehensive process, including consultations with relevant stakeholders to establish whether the proposed increases were financially affordable.
“One of those critical steps, which we mentioned in our statement, is consultations with a variety of stakeholders.
“Chief among them is the Minister of Finance, to look at the fiscal affordability of any sort of increase. That’s number one.
“Number two, you then broaden those consultations and obtain input on issues such as inflation forecasts, in order to be able to gauge,” Magwenya explained.
He emphasised that the President had not accepted all the recommendations submitted by the commission.
“The President did not accept the totality of the recommendations that were presented by the commission. With respect to judges and magistrates, obviously, there has been a great deal of pressure on salaries in that sphere.
“The President accepted the 4% that the commission recommended. However, with respect to members of the executive and other political office-bearers, the President did not accept the increase. In fact, what has now been announced and gazetted is lower than what the commission had recommended,” he said.
Magwenya added that Ramaphosa was fully aware of the financial difficulties facing ordinary South Africans, particularly amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which has contributed to rising fuel prices and, consequently, the cost of basic necessities.
“The President deeply appreciates the income disparities in our country. He also understands the cost-of-living pressures that ordinary people are facing, especially in light of the conflict in the Middle East and its impact on fuel prices,” Magwenya said.
He rejected suggestions that the increases were simply the result of politicians deciding to award themselves higher salaries.
“It’s not the President sitting with his fellow politicians and just deciding, ‘Let’s give each other increases’. No,” he added.
COSATU and NEHAWU have criticised the salary increases, describing them as insensitive at a time when public servants are being offered lower pay increases, unemployment remains high, and many municipalities continue to struggle to pay salaries and deliver basic services.
The unions’ concerns centre on the disparity between increases awarded to public office-bearers and the financial pressures facing workers and communities across the country.