The MK Party (MKP) was the lone voice in opposing Parliament’s approval of a recommendation allowing President Cyril Ramaphosa to adjust the remuneration of the commissioners of the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC).
However, they gained support from the EFF in their objection to the proposed pay increase for Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka, whom they accused of clearing Ramaphosa during her investigation into the Phala Phala scandal.
This happened when the National Assembly considered reports from portfolio committees for the salary adjustment of independent institutions supporting democracy and members of the judiciary.
Speaking during the declarations by parties, MKP chief whip Mzwanele Manyi said the IEC was no longer the same as it dismissed legitimate complaints of vote rigging and characterised them as immaterial.
The MKP took the IEC to court, claiming there was vote rigging during the national and provincial elections held in May.
Manyi said it was totally irresponsible to discuss salary adjustments for the IEC.
“As the MK Party we reject with contempt this salary adjustment as irrational. We are calling for the revamping of the IEC so that we have a proper IEC we can believe in,” Manyi said.
Both parties again objected to the adjustment of remuneration for the Human Rights Commission.
Despite the parties’ objection, the National Assembly resolved to recommend Ramaphosa to approve the proposed determinations on the adjustment of remuneration.
Also approved were the remunerations for the auditor-general, commissioners of the Human Rights Commission, the deputy public protector, judges and magistrates.
Ramaphosa recently informed National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza that he intended to determine a 3% salary increment for members of the independent constitutional institutions for the 2023-24 financial year and a 2.5% salary increment for the 2024-2025 financial year based on the recommendations of the Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office-Bearers.
The commission had recommended that the increases be backdated to April 2023 after making the determination on a number of factors.
In May, the Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office-Bearers made recommendations relating to the salaries, allowances, benefits and the resources required by public office-bearers to enable them to perform their respective duties.
The commission’s chairperson, Judge Mashangu Monica Leeuw, said the commission conducted consultation and received inputs from various stakeholders. These included Ministers of Justice, Finance, Chief Justice, Cogta, Home Affairs, heads of courts and the lower court committee before the finalisation of its recommendation.
Judge Leeuw said they acknowledged a number of significant issues that would need to be taken into consideration in bringing equity and fairness in the public office-bearers remuneration.
She also said they had considered the fiscal conditions of the state demonstrated in 2022-23, the state’s wage bill, the impact of the public office-bearers’ salary increase on the fiscus, previous determinations and the general economic status of the country.
Cape Times