Nehawu outraged by Ramaphosa’s decision to increase remuneration for public office bearers

Johannesburg - The National Education, Health, and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) is outraged by President Cyril Ramaphosa’s irrational decision to boost the compensation for Public Office Bearers by 3% retroactively from April 1, 2022.

According to Nehawu spokesperson Lwazi Nkolonzi, this incomprehensible decision to enhance salary followed the advice of the Independent Commission for the salary of Public Office Bearers.

“Earlier this year, we called on the president to reject in the strongest terms the Independent Commission for Remuneration’s proposed salary increase for public office bearers and called on President Ramaphosa to ignore the recommendation.

“We called on President Ramaphosa to reject the recommendation precisely because of the challenges confronting our country with high levels of unemployment, poverty, and inequality.

“Our call also focused on the fact that the government butchered public servants who are on the front lines of service delivery by granting them pay raises that were considerably below the inflation rate.

“We find it absolutely unethical for President Ramaphosa to agree to the salary of public office bearers amid the challenges confronting the country.”

Nkolonzi added that the decision to raise remuneration for public office bearers came at a time when the government had been hell-bent on undermining collective bargaining and reversing workers’ gains, as evidenced by the government’s breach of a signed collective agreement, the implementation of austerity measures, and the introduction of unilateralism.

“We are taken aback by President Ramaphosa’s decision, given that the government claims to have no money, yet the president has decided to be generous to public office bearers by increasing their remuneration while workers and ordinary citizens are on the receiving end, with many experiencing miseries, pains, suffocations, and financial hardships amid the escalating cost of living.

“There is absolutely no justification why public office bearers should be getting a remuneration increase,” Nkolonzi said.

The Star

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