President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Cabinet will not see salary increases next year after he rejected a recommendation that there should be a 4% increase for all public office bearers.

A 4% increase for public office bearers had been recommended by the Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers.

“President Ramaphosa’s decision not to follow the commission’s recommendations is informed by the imperative that the state be considerate‚ responsive and demonstrate restraint‚ especially during periods of economic hardship‚ when determining the level of salary increases for public representatives‚” Ramaphosa’s spokesperson‚ Khusela Diko‚ said in a statement.

Speaker of the national Assembly Baleka Mbete won’t see her salary of over R2.7m per annum increase.

It will be no different for chairperson of the national council of provinces Thandi Modise‚ and their deputies.

No premier will get an increase alongside all MECs in all nine provinces and speakers of provincial legislatures.

“The president appreciates that for government to have wider support for its programmes‚ it must implement and demonstrate through practical actions its commitment to exercising prudence‚” Diko said.

Constitutional Court judges and all other judges will see their paychecks increase by 2.5% from April 1‚ 2018. However‚ magistrates will get 4% increases.

“With regard to members of parliament‚ a 2.5% increase will apply to categories ranging from house chairperson‚ chief whip: majority party‚ leader of the opposition and whips‚ to members of the National Assembly and permanent delegates to the National Council of Provinces‚” Diko said. Members of provincial legislatures too will see a slight increase of 2.5 %. “Kings and queens will be eligible for a 2.5% increase. Senior traditional leaders and headmen and women will receive a 4% salary increase‚” Diko said.

Ramaphosa’s announcement comes after Cosatu called on the president not to approve the salary increases amid tough economic challenges.

While the economy grew by 2.2% quarter-on-quarter in the third quarter of 2018‚ bringing to an end a technical recession‚ the economy is mostly sluggish. Unemployment currently sits at over 27% while the cost of living has drastically increased.