Western Cape MEC Anton Bredell has slammed the proposed introduction of “danger pay” for ward councillors.
|||Western Cape Local Government MEC Anton Bredell has slammed as preposterous a proposal by the SA Local Government Association (Salga) to introduce “danger pay” for ward councillors.
In a letter to Minister of Co-operative Governance Richard Baloyi last month, Salga chairman Thabo Manyoni recommended that councillors be entitled, at the expense of municipalities or the state, to certain “risk benefits”.
These would include but would not be limited, he said, to death cover, disability, funeral benefits, cover for personal assets lost or damaged as a direct result of public violence.
Manyoni said councillors, who were “the face of government on the ground”, were continually having to flee their homes because of violent and criminal behaviour during protests about service delivery.
“A large number of municipalities in almost every province have, in recent times, experienced... community service delivery protests,” said Manyoni.
“Councillors continue to suffer damages to personal assets, with houses and motor vehicles being burnt down, while others have lost their lives.”
Manyoni said councillors were more likely to be threatened with violence than public office-bearers at other spheres of government.
“The current legislative framework does not grant protection to councillors should any eventuality arise,” he said.
“(Nor) do councillors have an automatic recourse for damages, unless they institute formal damages proceedings against the municipality.”
Manyoni said despite the increasing number of attacks on councillors and the consequent damage to their assets, the risk cover for councillors remained absent from the remuneration framework.
Last July, angry residents of Chiawelo, Soweto, torched two houses and two cars belonging to councillor Johannes Nemaungani and his predecessor, Mirriam Ramafola, in a dispute about pre-paid electricity meters.
Bredell said the Western Cape would formally oppose Salga’s proposal.
He said it would be a waste of taxpayers’ money, which could be used to improve service delivery.
“The danger pay, increased cellphone allowances and all the unnecessary extra benefits are a complete waste,” said Bredell.
“A ward councillor is a public figure, why would he or she be protected from the community? It is a waste of taxpayers’ money and we in the Western Cape will not stand for it.”
Bredell said he would study the Salga recommendations and release a full statement.
“Taxpayers are just forking out more money for councillor benefits, but service delivery suffers,” he said.
“Giving councillors more benefits will not stop the service delivery protests, in fact it will aggravate the situation.”
Other recommendations included that remuneration for councillors should be paid out of the central national reserve fund instead of municipal budgets; that years of service be recognised; and that drastic action was needed to prevent further loss of life and damage caused by disgruntled communities.
Baloyi’s office said that the minister was “studying” the recommendations.
clayton.barnes@inl.co.za - Cape Argus