Moneyweb reports that Johannesburg city councillors have proposed awarding themselves a 6.4% pay increase this year, even as multiple surveys show that most South Africans are bleeding as a result of the Covid-19 lockdown.
Residents have been asked to comment on the city’s latest budget proposals in terms of which electricity rates are budgeted to increase 8.1% this year, and water and sanitation by 8.6% each. Property rates are budgeted to increase 4.9%, but could end up increasing 7% for some. Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse’s (Outa’s) Tim Tyrrell said the budget was an insult to the sacrifices made by city residents who have endured salary pay cuts, retrenchments, or the closure of once-vibrant businesses in the name of flattening the infection curve. Yet the councillors propose lumping city residents with an additional R843 million bill for councillor and staff pay. What really seems to have irked commentators is the extent of salary increases over the years. Between 2016 and 2020, average salaries have gone up 56%, well above the inflation index. Particularly worrying for some is the increase in the base electricity charge, which could mean some households end up paying 40% more, and the scant relief for Covid-19, for which the city has made a R140 million provision. Astonishingly, Covid-19 only gets a single mention in the entire budget.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Ciaran Ryan at Moneyweb
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