Cabinet to live like everybody else. Free electricity, water and rent scrapped from Ramaphosa’s Ministerial Handbook.
President Cyril Ramaphosa revised the Ministerial Handbook for 2022 following a public outcry that it was approved in secret.
The 2022 handbook released in April was meant to be an update of the 2019 version of the executive guide.
The 2022 handbook was opposed in parliament last week due because of excess perks included in the Guide for Members of the Executive.
Some of the ministers’ benefits included unlimited free electricity and water at ministerial villages, which are owned by the State.
Cabinet ministers are given state-owned residences, which are based in Cape Town and Pretoria, where they stay free of charge.
According to IOL, the DA called for the scrapping of the Ministerial Handbook in its entirety. The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) chief executive, Wayne Duvenage, and South African Federation of Trade Unions general secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi, labelled the 2022 amendments “disgusting”.
Vincent Magwenya, the presidential spokesperson, announced that the president had withdrawn the 2022 Ministerial Handbook.
“The withdrawal will give effect to the 2019 version of the executive guide pending a review,” said Mangwenya.
“Ministers have to pay from their own pockets for any water and electricity expenses exceeding R5,000 a month,” says the 2019 handbook.
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Picture: Facebook