Cosatu welcomes recommendation on salaries

Johannesburg - Cosatu has welcomed a recommendation by the Independent Commission on the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers to freeze all salary increases for political and public officers due to the current economic situation.

The federation said in a statement on Monday the decision was long overdue and political leaders needed to show solidarity with the struggling working class.

“The huge salaries and benefits that are paid to political office-bearers and senior bureaucrats are the source of the existing inequalities and unacceptable income disparities that currently exist in the public service,” said spokesman Sizwe Pamla.

Cosatu also said it hoped the government would reduce salaries paid to MPs and cabinet members.

While the federation welcomed the reduction, it cautioned the government not to use this as an excuse to freeze or moderate the salaries of public servants during wage negotiations in 2018.

“The lowly public servants are the ones who are at the coalface of service delivery. It is totally unacceptable that police officers, nurses and teachers will have to work for nine years before earning an annual salary of a director-general,” said Pamla.

@heidigiokos

LABOUR BUREAU