The Steve Tshwete Municipal Council approved the upper limits for municipal managers’ salaries and perks. Managers are classified at grade five, with the upper limits retrospectively implemented since 2024. Senior managers are offered remuneration at the minimum notch relevant to the municipality. The criteria applied to calculate the scale were the municipal income of R1.8b, a population of 242 031 and an equitable share of R326m. The municipality scored 77 in total, placing it at level five.

Back pay allocations detailed

A total of more than R2.3m will now be paid back to managers. Municipal manager Mandla Mnguni will receive back pay of R544 098, the community services executive R318 378, and the executive director for infrastructure R106 126, according to a report in the council agenda.

All the above is back pay for the 2024/25 financial year. According to the report in the agenda, back pay for 2025/26 amounts to almost R1.5m, with R589 440 for Mnguni, R344 910 for the executive director for community services, R344 910 for the executive director for infrastructure, and R212 252 for the chief financial officer.