Only three opposition parties in the Merafong City Municipal Council voted against a decision to increase the salaries of councillors.
The council decided on the new upper limits for councillors’ salaries during the council meeting on March 25.
This is in accordance with new upper limits on salaries that were printed in the Government Gazette of February 20.
According to the new rates, the annual salary of the executive mayor, Nozuko Best, will increase by R41 366 from R1 008 918 to R1 050 284, while the salaries of the deputy mayor, Mogomotsi Sello, and Speaker, Elvis Mphitikezi, will increase by R33 093 from R807 140 to R840 233.
The salary of the Chief Whip, Thabo Mokuke, as well as other members of the mayoral committee will increase by R31 038 from R757 035 to R788 073.
The salary of the chairperson of Municipal Public Accounts Committee (MPAC), A.M. Phenduka, will increase by R30 114, from R734 498 to R764 612.
The salaries of part-time councillors will increase by R13 091 from R319 289 to R332 380.
The councillors can also get a monthly cellphone allowance of R3 600 and a monthly data allowance of R317.
Other benefits, such as medical aid contributions and special risk cover, are deducted from councillors’ salaries. As the effective date of the salary increases was July 1 2025, the start of the current municipal financial year, the councillors will get nine months’ back pay for these increases.
The DA, FF Plus, and Merafong Agents of Change voted against the decision.