The KwaZulu-Natal Legislature has passed a motion to increase Premier Thami Ntuli’s salary in line with recommendations from the Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office-Bearers.
The resolution means Ntuli’s annual salary will rise from approximately R2.5 million to about R2.6 million from 1 April. The increase represents a 3.8 percent adjustment.
The legislature convened on Monday after the MK Party rejected the recommendation during last week’s meeting. In the sitting, 35 MK members voted against granting the increase, while 40 members from the IFP, ANC, DA and NFP voted in favour.
Under the commission’s recommendation, President Cyril Ramaphosa, Deputy President Paul Mashatile, ministers, premiers, MECs, MPs and MPLs will all receive salary increases from April.
The sitting took place amid ongoing debate about whether public office-bearers should receive pay increases. Opponents of the recommendations include ActionSA and some labour unions.
Congress of South African Trade Unions provincial secretary Edwin Mkhize said it was wrong to reduce the debate to a single office-holder but stressed that the federation opposes any policy that widens the gap between the lowest-paid and highest-paid workers. He said resources should go towards improving salaries for the lowest-paid workers and strengthening service delivery.
According to the Presidency, the commission considers the government’s financial position when recommending increases. It takes into account the role and responsibilities of office-bearers, affordability, inflation, current remuneration levels, available state resources, and public service pay levels.