Are the salaries of Makana's top officials fair? Avuyile Mngxitama-Diko sets out some figures to help readers judge for themselves.
Are the salaries of Makana's top officials fair? Avuyile Mngxitama-Diko sets out some figures to help readers judge for themselves.
Announcing Ntombi Baart's final axing from the municipality this week, Mayor Zamuxolo Peter emphasised that the municipal manager's departure would bring significant savings for Makana. Also bringing municipal salaries into the spotlight were questions this week about councillor Paul Notyawa's double salary – as a councillor and as a lawyer for two trade unions.
Here we focus on the salaries of Makana officials and councillors for the 2012/13 financial year, as proposed in the annual budget. There are some surprises. For example, the mayor earns significantly less than the municipal manager. And a rough estimate shows that his cellphone allowance, if a call costs around R2, allows him just under 20 minutes a day on his phone at the municipality's expense.
There are 21 part-time councillors in Makana. Ward councillors and PR councillors receive a salary of around R145 937 a year plus annual transport and cellphone allowances of R48 645 and R12 452 respectively. Makana budgeted a total of R4 101 657 for all the salaries and allowances of part-time councillors.
There are five full-time councillors who are portfolio chairpersons and members of the mayoral committee. The portfolios are Finance and Administration, Monitoring and Evaluation (Pirya Ranchhod), Directorate of Community and Social Services (Mabhuti Matyumza), Local and Economic Development (Paul Notyawa), Corporate Services (Pirya Ranchhod) and Technical and Infrastructure Services (Nomhle Gaga).
According to Municipal spokesperson Mncedisi Boma these councillors earn a salary of R 39 813.41 a month. The budget for the salaries of these five councillors is R 1 824 211. In addition their total transport allowance is R 608 070 and their cellphone allowances amount to R 99 852 a year.
Council Speaker Rachel Madinda's salary is R 214 041, plus an allowance of R 71 347 for transport and 12 453 for cellphone. Mayor Zamuxolo Peter earns R486 456 a year. His transport allowance is R162 152 andhis cellphone allowance is R19 970 a year.
Boma said the transport allowance was meant to assist councillors in their travelling for Council business. Each of the municipality's five directors earns a salary of R 842 512. They are also entitled to a 14% performance bonus. The Municipal Manager earns R 1 039 891 plus a potential 14% performance bonus.
Salaries in comparable professions
A junior lecturer at Rhodes University earns around R 297 545 a year and a Senior Lecturer earns R438 928. An associate professor earns R 514 501 a year and a professor around R599 935. In this case the staff member is contributing towards his/her retirement fund at 7.5% of their pensionable salary. The university contributes a further 15%.
According to the South African Democratic Teachers Union website an entry level teacher earns a total package of R131 272; a head of department gets R 220 430; deputy principals get R 262 463 and principals on level 4, the highest notch, get R 362 463 a year. According to the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union website a constable earned a package of R101 534 in 2011.
