Gauteng SACP chairman Joe Mpisi urged Gauteng municipal workers attending the SA Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) congress in Randburg to fight for a living wage.

"We are concerned about this issue of municipal managers who are getting more increases than workers. I am told that they are going to get up to 24% [increase].

" I have realised that not all of us understand the reality that we are facing as a union. The lowest paid member of Samwu is earning about R3,000."

The call for a salary freeze was yesterday backed by Nehawu.

"We are also extremely angered by the reports of municipal managers, especially those in Gauteng, being paid exorbitant salaries while ordinary workers are paid a pittance and townships are burning in demand of improved service delivery," said Nehawu spokesman Sizwe Pamla.

He said Tshwane city manager Jason Ngobeni and his Johannesburg counterpart Trevor Fowler were expected to have their salaries adjusted by as much as 20% this year.

He questioned the wisdom of such adjustments while these municipalities were putting out fires "left, right and centre" from citizens fighting poor service delivery.

"It is morally and logically erroneous to pay these two technocrats R3.25-million and R3.23-million a year respectively when they have not done anything extraordinary."

Ironically, the demand for transparency on financial matters was also placed at Samwu's door. The start of the congress was delayed when delegates demanded that the financial report of the previous congress be presented before the agenda could be adopted.

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Sat May 18 11:10:54 SAST 2013 ::

May 31, 2012

DJWinner

Damn, if I can get a something like R5000 salary increase this year. It's unfortunate I will only get something in the R3000- R3500 range. I'm also very angry at these managers.
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May 31, 2012

TheDictator

We are also extremely angered by the reports of municipal managers, especially those in Gauteng, being paid exorbitant salaries while ordinary workers are paid a pittance and townships are burning in demand of improved service delivery," said Nehawu spokesman Sizwe Pamla.
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Lets face it guys,we cannot be paid the same salary.Someone will always be paid more than the other.These managers spent thousands of rands and years educating themselves and have earned valuable work experience in the private and public sector.The issue of service delivery backlog is not entire their fault,the politicians are the ones tampering with manager's jobs.
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May 31, 2012

Vhamsanda

I totally agree with the SACP on the salary matter. Perhaps this concern should also be extended to all public servants especially in Parly. Why should a minister be entitled to a top of the range Range Rover , Mercedes ML , BMW X 5/6 and the other luxury cars when there are alternative cheaper modes of transport ?
This is in addition to other perks that include hefty salaries while the country is bleeding poverty. A clear wrong message is sent to the poor that the only way to riches and good life is by being a public servant. Did I say "public servant " ?
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May 31, 2012

ntshware-ke-yawa

That's SALGA for you,year-in-year-out you can't teach them how to double-increase the salaries of the municipal managers but as for the workers it is always a shame coz even the little R3000 they are getting is taxable,so you can imagine how much is the lowest worker taking home with him,pathetic.
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May 31, 2012

MommaC

I expect they also give themselves huge bonuses for stuffing everything up too.
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May 31, 2012

7000000

That is another crop of Government wings that are very corrupt and useless earn money for bankrupting our Municipalities and feeding friends , girlfriends and relatives, completely hopeless creatures!!
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May 31, 2012

kutsukuyi

I'm with the managers on this one and I'm going to tell you why. When we have to vote in the local elections were are told to vote for the party that is abusing workers. ANC only think of workers when it needs our votes, after that we are not needed. As long we keep on supporting the same government then we deserve to suffer. Someone once said that Government workers are not different from an abused woman who keeps on complaining about her abusing husband but remain with him
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May 31, 2012

MissBhakajuju

i see nothing wrong with these salaries, everyone has to live.

the other sectors Private/Public, must just also do like wise & increase their worker's salaries. end of story !!
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May 31, 2012

msojaman

Look at the fairness of this, If the Public servants can ask for a minimum wage increase of 10% now, How long the strike can to take to reach an agreement of 6%? Three to four months. But the wage increase of Managers is non negotiable. Do you think this is a fair system that is used by our government? I think its about time for us to put the new systems in place in terms of remuneration!!
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May 31, 2012

Mulla

@ TheDictator

Are you one of them? Doctors, Accountants, Engineers, Vice councellors......... who learnned most of their time are being paid peanuts. Most of thoese guys have fake qualifications, No experience and most of all corrupt but earning millions. Waste removal employees with valuable qualifications are earning R3000 yet you justify the difference. One day is one day!
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