DA weighs legal options to stop council-approved CoJ municipal salary increases
Backdated salary increases for senior municipal managers alone are expected to cost ratepayers R1.5 million.
Johannesburg, South Africa. Picture: © Magdalena Paluchowska/123rf.com
JOHANNESBURG - The Democratic Alliance (DA) says it’s weighing legal options to stop the City of Joburg from pushing ahead with salary increases approved by the council.
Backdated salary increases for senior municipal managers alone are expected to cost ratepayers R1.5 million.
DA caucus whip Nicola Rahn said the party refused to be part of this decision while the city teeters on the brink of bankruptcy.
Just a week ago, the Johannesburg council gave the go-ahead for the city to take a R2.5 billion loan.
Rahn said this was meant for capital projects to improve service delivery, and not for salary increases.
“Yesterday, the ANC [African National Congress]-led coalition pushed through an increase of 4.8% for senior municipal managers. These already well-paid individuals can’t meet their key performance indicators, which is evident by the state of the city, but the Government of Local Unity feels it’s warranted to reward mediocrity.”
Rahn is questioning where this money will come from and whether service delivery and maintenance will again suffer.
The increases are expected to be backdated to July 2023.
“We as the Democratic Alliance are considering legal action to stop this reckless behaviour.”