Top earners from public purse
MANAGERS of six of South Africa's metropolitan cities are coining it big time.
They earn lucrative salaries well in excess of their political bosses, MPs, MECs and in some cases even more than premiers, ministers and their deputies.
With an annual package of R2,3-million, City of Johannesburg's municipal manager Mavela Dlamini bags even more than Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe, speaker of the National Assembly Max Sisulu and newly appointed Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng, who each earn R2,2-million a year.
The 2011 Local Government Budgets and Expenditure Review released by Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan in Cape Town last week revealed that city managers are among the top earners in the public service.
Dlamini's five-year contract is expected to expire next week.
His big pay is despite the city's billing systems having descended into chaos, causing the municipality to fail to collect hundreds of millions of rands in revenue.
President Jacob Zuma last month accepted a 5 percent pay increase for public office bearers, as recommended by the Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers.
The only public official earning more than Dlamini is Zuma himself, who rakes in just under R2,5-million annually.
Next after Dlamini is eThekwini manager Mike Sutcliffe, who takes home an annual package of R2,1-million.
Cabinet ministers and their deputies earn respective annual packages of R1,9-million and R1,5-million.
Ekurhuleni manager Khaya Ngema was next after Sutcliffe, taking home an annual package of R1,8-million.
City of Cape Town manager Achmat Ebrahim was fourth in line, taking home an annual package equivalent to that of premiers - R1,7-million.
Oupa Nkoane, former acting manager of Tshwane, earned an annual salary equivalent to that of deputy ministers - R1,5-million.
Of the six metros, acting manager of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality in Port Elizabeth was the lowest paid, earning an annual pay of R1,4-million. His salary was still, however, far more than the R843,000 paid to members of Parliament.
MECs earn just over R1-mllion, while metro mayors earn between R800,000 and R1-million..
Local government expert and director of the University of Cape Town's law clinic Nico Steytler said the municipal bosses' hefty salaries were justified.
"They are the CEOs of the municipality, their job is to oversee proper accounting systems and service delivery," said Steytler. "On the one hand, they have the politicians breathing down their necks and the legal framework to deal with. On the other hand, communities expect service delivery."
City Managers rake it in
Top earners from public purse
MANAGERS of six of South Africa's metropolitan cities are coining it big time.
They earn lucrative salaries well in excess of their political bosses, MPs, MECs and in some cases even more than premiers, ministers and their deputies.
With an annual package of R2,3-million, City of Johannesburg's municipal manager Mavela Dlamini bags even more than Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe, speaker of the National Assembly Max Sisulu and newly appointed Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng, who each earn R2,2-million a year.
The 2011 Local Government Budgets and Expenditure Review released by Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan in Cape Town last week revealed that city managers are among the top earners in the public service.
Dlamini's five-year contract is expected to expire next week.
His big pay is despite the city's billing systems having descended into chaos, causing the municipality to fail to collect hundreds of millions of rands in revenue.
President Jacob Zuma last month accepted a 5 percent pay increase for public office bearers, as recommended by the Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers.
The only public official earning more than Dlamini is Zuma himself, who rakes in just under R2,5-million annually.
Next after Dlamini is eThekwini manager Mike Sutcliffe, who takes home an annual package of R2,1-million.
Cabinet ministers and their deputies earn respective annual packages of R1,9-million and R1,5-million.
Ekurhuleni manager Khaya Ngema was next after Sutcliffe, taking home an annual package of R1,8-million.
City of Cape Town manager Achmat Ebrahim was fourth in line, taking home an annual package equivalent to that of premiers - R1,7-million.
Oupa Nkoane, former acting manager of Tshwane, earned an annual salary equivalent to that of deputy ministers - R1,5-million.
Of the six metros, acting manager of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality in Port Elizabeth was the lowest paid, earning an annual pay of R1,4-million. His salary was still, however, far more than the R843,000 paid to members of Parliament.
MECs earn just over R1-mllion, while metro mayors earn between R800,000 and R1-million..
Local government expert and director of the University of Cape Town's law clinic Nico Steytler said the municipal bosses' hefty salaries were justified.
"They are the CEOs of the municipality, their job is to oversee proper accounting systems and service delivery," said Steytler. "On the one hand, they have the politicians breathing down their necks and the legal framework to deal with. On the other hand, communities expect service delivery."
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