President Ramaphosa [Photo:SowetanLive]
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has made a U-turn on perks and luxuries for cabinet ministers and their deputies that saw their homes supplied with free electricity and water.
He further announced that he will be having the 2022 amendments in the ministerial handbook reviewed.
This comes after the benefits caused a public outcry as they were considered insensitive at a time when South Africans are struggling with daily power cuts and rising cost of living.
Through his spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, the president said that the message from South Africans over the perks was loud and clear.
“The ministerial handbook which outlines ministerial benefits will be aligned to the realities that many South Africans face,” said Magwenya.
Opposition party – the DA called for the amendments to be scrapped off, telling the Office of the Public that there is no law that provides for the handbook to even exist.
Under the 2019 Executive Members Guide, also known as the Ministerial Handbook, S.A ministers’ utility bills at their official residences are still covered by up to R5,000 per month.
This is as the country in last financial year spent R1.3 million to provide cabinet members with generators, with an additional R680,000 spent between April and June 2022.
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