BusinessLive reports that in a major climb-down amid a public backlash, President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday withdrew a controversial policy which boosted the benefits and privileges for ministers and their deputies, including access to free electricity and water at their official residences.
“President Cyril Ramaphosa has ordered the withdrawal of the ... ministerial handbook for 2022. The withdrawal will give effect to the 2019 version of the executive guide, pending a review,” Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, indicated on Monday. It was reported last week that the ministerial handbook had been amended to remove a cap on municipal utilities for ministers and deputy ministers, meaning that they would not pay a cent for electricity and water at their official residences. Cabinet ministers earn R2.4m a year, while their deputies are paid R2m. According to the previous handbook, the public works department was responsible for providing ministers and their deputies with water and electricity, provided the cost was limited to R5,000 a month. The outcry has been damaging for Ramaphosa, who when assuming office promised to rein in the runaway budget deficit by cutting executive spending and reducing the size of the cabinet. When the story broke, the government initially defended the ministerial perks, saying they were part of the package for ministers and their deputies who were living in state-owned houses in service of the country. Providing the rationale for the U-turn, Magwenya said Ramaphosa acknowledged the concerns raised by the public.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Bekezela Phakathi at BusinessLive
- Lees ook, Ramaphosa herroep ministeriële handbook, by Maroela Media
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