MBOMBELA – Incremental salary increases over many years have seen the CEO of the Mpumalanga Regional Training Trust (MRTT) take home pay on a par with the country’s president.
Mr Jacob Zuma reportedly earns R2,6 million annually, and so does Mr Ntakaneng Moropane.
According to the annual financial statements of the parastatal which falls under the provincial Department of Education, the amount is Moropane’s full package. “Everyone agrees that it is abnormally high, but that it would be illegal to dismiss him over this or to reduce his salary,” explained Mr Anthony Benadie, DA member of the provincial legislature.
MRTT provides experiential, practical, technical, hospitality, tourism, entrepreneurship and life-skills training to empower learners and industry workers to participate in the broader economic sphere of the province. It is unique in that it’s a public entity reporting through the board of directors, to the MEC for education, Ms Reginah Mhaule, and must adhere to the Public Finance Management Act. It is also registered as a Section 21 Company (a non-profit organisation) which is therefore also audited under the Companies Act.
However, the MEC appoints the board. Emoluments for non-executive board members resulted, in some cases, in a huge increase from 2013/14.
Ms Faith Duduzile Mthembu, chairman, earned R619 467 in 2013/14, a 57 per cent increase since 2012/13. Board member Ms ME Letsoalo took home R356 616, 56 per cent more and Mr Johan Sibiya had a 49 per cent increase from R70 503. The department did not respond to media queries on why remuneration had high increases. Benadie explained that board members were reimbursed for travel expenses and were paid at an hourly rate.
They did site inspections. There was also a significant increase in the number of meetings held in the year under review. “They are even paid for preparation time, which is absurd,” Benadie remarked.
“And site visits sound as if they are doing oversight over their own work instead of leaving it to committees.”
He says the situation has the potential to be unethically exploited. The education department did not respond to a request for comment.
