EWN reports that councillors in the Tshwane Municipality last week overwhelmingly voted to increase their salaries by five present, with only one councilor voting against the motion.

The five percent increase is in line with the determinations recently gazetted by the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional (Cogta) Minister as to the maximum salary limits paid to public representatives. The motion was adopted during a special council meeting on Friday. The increases take effect from 1 July 2024, meaning councillors will receive a lump sum in back pay. The councillors will also see a bump to their other benefits like cellphone, housing, travel and motor allowances. Since the 2020/2021 financial year, there have been no increases to the salaries of Tshwane councillors due to the municipality’s strained finances.

Republican Conference of Tshwane councillor, Lex Middelberg was the only one who voted against the increases. "When we are rated as one of the worst-run metros in SA, I think it is wrong for councillors to award themselves salary increases. This is a struggling city, it is not a successful place," he indicated.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Thabiso Goba at EWN

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