Why Cosatu is opposing the ‘tone-deaf’ proposed 4.1% salary hike for politicians

The Congress of South African Trade Unions  (Cosatu) has slammed the recommendation to increase salaries of public office bearers, which includes government officials and politicians, by 4.1%.

The Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers has recommended 4.1% salary increase for public office bearers for the 2025/2026 financial year.

Published in a government gazette this week, the proposal suggests higher pay for senior government officials. The move has been met by outrage among labour unions and political parties.

Cosatu parliamentary coordinator Matthew Parks said the trade union federation would support a smaller 3.5% increase for judges and magistrates.

However he said Cosatu rejected any increase for politicians and called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to reject the proposal.

It is beyond shameful that in the year when cabinet said the state did not have money to fulfil its legal obligations and thus a 2% VAT hike was unavoidable, that this tone-deaf commission can make such an obnoxious proposal.

“It defies logic that a month after the Minister for Finance, Mr Enoch Godongwana warned Parliament and the nation that further tax hikes may be a necessity in 2026, that the commission thought proposing an additional R536 million to fund the salaries of politicians, commissioners and judges is morally justifiable.”

Meanwhile the MK Party and Action SA have also expressed their dismay at the move

If approved, the President's annual salary would rise by about R137 000 to approximately R3.4 million. The Deputy President would receive an increase of just under R130 000, taking his earnings to around R3.1 million a year.

Cabinet Ministers stand to benefit from an increase of about R110 000, pushing their annual pay to roughly R2.8 million. Deputy Ministers would earn more than R2.3 million per year under the proposed adjustments.

THE MERCURY