Cosatu slams proposed wage increase for public office bearers

The Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers has proposed a 3% increase in salary and benefits for 2022.

Cosatu spokesperson Matthew Parks says President Cyril Ramaphosa should reject this proposed increase and rather impose a wage freeze.

"In fact, ideally, we should be imposing wage cuts upon these politicians and the judges.

"It is unbelievable when 2.2 million workers have lost their jobs, when unemployment is at a 46% all-time high when public servants didn't get an increase in 2020, when they got a below-inflation increase last year, that this commission is now recommending such an increase. "

Parks says the courts rejected an increase for public servants in 2020, so the judiciary have no right to request one for themselves now. 

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"It is beyond believable that the judiciary, the chief justice, who had earlier agreed with government to reject the increase for 2020 for public servants, is now pleading for an increase for members of the judiciary.

"It is unbelievable that the Minister of Finance, in his submission, can argue for increased members of parliament to avoid the pensions being eroded and then becoming demoralised."

Parks adds that these are the very same arguments that public servants raised when Treasury had rejected an increase for them.

"Magistrates, yes, might be facing feeling the pains of inflation. But join the club. Public servants who earn a fraction of what they earn are much worse off."