[imagesource: Abigail Javier/EWN]

The president and other top-earning ministers will see their salaries remain the same for the second year in a row.

This salary freeze is as per the latest set of recommendations from the Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers. They help the president decide on salary increases each year by facilitating a consultation process and analysing economic factors.

At the end of the day, hikes and freezes are up to the president.

In the past year, Ramaphosa denied the recommendation for a 3% increase for government top earners, plus he and his cabinet took a three-month pay cut of 33% during the initial lockdown.

Again, our president followed this year’s recommendation to avoid salary increases, so what are we looking at?

Well, according to Business Insider SA, the deputy president, along with speakers of the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces, will keep their stable salary of R2,8 million.

Cabinet ministers take home R2,4 million and provincial premiers R2,3 million, whilst Ramaphosa will continue to earn his cool R2,99 million.

Why not round it up to R3 million? Seems odd. Either way, decent numbers.

Considering that close to half of our government’s revenue goes to paying civil servants salaries, these salary freezes don’t feel like such a bold move.

[source:businessinsider]