Legal action on the table to stop CoJ salary increases

[Listen to an English soundbite by Cllr Nicole Rahn – DA Johannesburg Caucus Chief Whip here]

Dear Editor

The Democratic Alliance (DA) is considering all of its legal options to stop the planned salary increases in the City of Johannesburg (CoJ) as outlined in Notice 4897 of 30 May 2024, which served before council yesterday (31 July 2024)

According to the notice, senior municipal managers in the City of Johannesburg will receive salary increases backdated to July 2023. This initial payment alone, will cost the rate payer a staggering R1.5 million.

The DA refuses to be party to the morally indefensible action of implementing these increases while the City of Johannesburg is on the brink of bankruptcy. It is no surprise that the ANC-led coalition in Joburg allowed this to pass.

There is no way we can approve of senior managers, including the municipal manager, getting increases, further diluting the money the CoJ has available to service residents.

One week ago, council approved a R2.5 billion loan for the CoJ. This was done on the premise that capital projects would be able to continue – improving service delivery. Not for salary increases.

These increases are an indictment against the City. While taps run dry, electricity stays off, and roads vanish into dust. The priority surely cannot be to increase an already bloated wage bill?

The worst of it all, is that the people who will now benefit from these increases are the very same people who cannot meet their Key Performance Indicators. They are responsible for the reprehensible state of affairs Joburg finds itself in, now, they will be paid more to continue their ineffectiveness.

Currently, essential workers in the city are negotiating their wage increases. These include crucial benefits like pension fund- and medical aid contributions. How will the city look our essential personnel in the eyes knowing that money that could have greatly improved their lives, will now line the pockets of already overpaid underperformers?

The DA will continue to hold the ANC-PA-EFF-Al Jama-ah coalition accountable and make our inputs at the section 79 committees to ensure that the key performance areas are monitored and make proposals to ensure residents get the services they pay for. Money meant for service delivery to residents should be spent on that, and that alone.

Regards

Cllr Nicole Rahn
DA Johannesburg Caucus Chief Whip