'Freeze Zuma's pay'

The state's highest earners, from President Jacob Zuma to kings, judges and members of parliament, should not get salary increases for the next year because they are cushioned from the impact of inflation.

The Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office-Bearers has called on officials to take proposed zero increments as a "patriotic sacrifice".

"The proposed zero adjustment of the salaries of these public office bearers is a suggestion that all citizens should be aware of our economic situation and make sacrifices in order to avoid the economic meltdown," the commission said in a gazetted notice on Friday.

"It would be inappropriate for the leaders of the country who play a significant role in the management of the economy to receive an increase while many citizens feel the pinch of economic and fiscus down trends," it added.

The officials that should not get even inflation-linked salary increments include ministers and their deputies, premiers, mayors, MECs and members of national and provincial legislatures.

Zuma's annual pay will remain at almost R2.9-million. He received a 5% increase last year.

Those earning R2.7-million per year - Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng, National Assembly speaker Baleka Mbete and National Council ff Provinces (NCOP) chairperson Thandi Modise - will get the same salary.

Mmusi Maimane, as leader of the opposition in the national assembly, will keep his almost R1.5-million annual pay.

The 400 MPs will remain at just over R1-million and so will the 90 NCOP delegates.

The nine premiers will continue to rake in just over R2.1-million, while MECs and speakers of legislatures will remain at R1.9-million.

In March, the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal called for a halt to salary increases for public representatives, including Zuma and the provincial premier.

The province said Zuma, government ministers, MPs, MPLs and MECs should not accept salary increases while the country faced economic difficulties.

Meanwhile, mayors of the 278 municipalities in the country will also get no increases, earning R1.2-million, the commission added.

The commission said it "seriously considered" inflation-linked increases for the state's high earners, but concluded this cohort was immune to inflation.

Treasury has forecast inflation to average 6.3% in 2017, while the country's four major banks expect it to hover between 6.5% and 6.6%.

"It is believed that the remuneration levels of the above public office bearers provide them with a greater portion of disposable income which can act as a buffer against the effects of inflation," said the commission.

The permanent body was critical of kings, who earn just over R1.1-million.

It said it considered that while they are not elected, "they have constituencies mostly in the deep rural areas that are very poor and mostly unemployed".

"The commission discourages a situation where traditional leaders would live in relative comfort while their subjects or constituencies face abject poverty. Hence the no- increase recommendation for this category of public office bearers at the senior-to-top levels of traditional leadership."

Hard times call for radical move

This is the first time the commission has proposed a 0% increase.

• In 2008 the commission suggested 11%;
• In 2009, 8%;
• In 2010, 7%. Zuma deviated from the commission's suggestion in 2010, increasing salaries by 5% instead of 7%.
• 5% in 2011;
• 5.5% in 2012;

It recommended a sliding scale of increases of between 0% and 7% in 2013. Zuma signed for 5% increments for high earners, and nothing for himself; and

In 2014, the commission proposed a 5% adjustment for officials earning more than R1-million, and 6% for those below R1-million.

nkosib@sowetan.co.za