The EFF and ActionSA have rejected the City of Joburg Council motion to increase councilors’ salaries. The motion, which was passed during Tuesday’s council meeting, was supported by the DA, ANC, and some minority parties. Salary increases was one of the items which were deliberated by the council on Tuesday. EFF Joburg Region Chairperson Sepetlele Raseruthe, told Newsnote that they’re opposed to the salary increase because it would widen the gap between the rich and the poor.“You should always remember we are a socialist movement ourselves and we are always pushing the issue of the wage gap. We can’t be earning what we are earning here and some people are earning R3 500, R4 000, R5000 etc.“And we want to increase our salaries before increasing the salaries of people who are earning peanuts at home? We are still for them to get an adjustment so we can move together,” Sepetlele said. ActionSA said that at a time when the residents of Johannesburg are suffering from above-inflation rate increases and service delivery failures, councilors should not be rewarded with salary increases.ActionSA City of Johannesburg Caucus leader Nobuhle Mthembu said salary increases should not be considered at this point in time. “These kinds of increases would never have been entertained in the private sector with any entity mirroring the level of performance of the Joburg Council and they should not be entertained in Joburg today,” Mthembu said. Mthembu said the increment would mean an additional cost of R5.5 million for the city per year or R20,000 per councilor.
