Calls have been made for public participation in amendments to the Ministerial Handbook after the Presidency announced that changes that increased ministers’ perks at the expense of taxpayers would be put on hold pending a review.
On Monday, President Cyril Ramaphosa, through his spokesperson Vincent Magwenya, said that the controversial changes to the 2022 Ministerial Handbook, which allowed high-earning Cabinet ministers to get taxpayers to pay their total bills for their electricity, rent and water, and to have additional staff, had been put on hold pending a review.
This comes after there was national outrage to the perks as the country battles high unemployment, load shedding and the rising cost of living.
The handbook was amended in April, but the changes only came to light recently.
“Onto a topical issue of the Ministerial Handbook, President Ramaphosa has ordered the withdrawal process of the presidential minute on the executive members’ guide commonly known as the Ministerial Handbook for 2022,” Magwenya said.
“The withdrawal will give effect to the 2019 version of the executive guide pending a review.
“President Ramaphosa acknowledges and appreciates the public sentiments on the matter. However, the impression created that the amendments were created in secrecy and to avoid public scrutiny is false.”
IFP leader Velenkosini Hlabisa said the handbook should not be scrapped as it is meant to ensure that those who lead in government are able to effectively run the country, however he said there should be no abuse of taxpayers’ money.
“They need basic infrastructure and not excessive infrastructure to run the country. The review should be done with the intention to scrap the abuse of taxpayers’ money. This country has high unemployment, poverty, people living in unacceptable conditions and you cannot have ministers living a luxurious life at the expense of the poor.”
Hlabisa said the review must be a transparent process and that benchmarking must take place with other countries.
“Whatever resources that are provided to ministers and their deputies should be minimal to ensure they do the work to revive the economy and create jobs.”
Build One South Africa movement leader Mmusi Maimane said the review should be carried out by Parliament’s portfolio committee so that members of the public can attend and it will be a transparent process.
“It cannot sit in the executive office and be a presidential mandate because this is a public purse issue.
“The Presidency also needs an ethics officer who will look at abuse of the public purse. The handbook is only one issue, what about ministers who use a five-star hotel instead of four stars, who upgrade to first class for international travel?
“At the moment any violation is reported to the public protector who looks at the violation of the executive ethics code, but this is a long process.”
Maimane said a body looking at ethics was needed so that ministers could ask permission if they wanted privileges adjusted and a decision could be made.
“Right now, there are too many grey areas,” he said.