City of Johannesburg Mayor Geoff Makhubo.
Felix Dlangamandla, Netwerk24
- City of Johannesburg mayor Geoff Makhubo has rubbished claims that he is planning on giving himself a R106 000 pay rise, which will increase his annual salary to R1 445 060.
- Makhubo has labelled the claims as a bid by former mayor Herman Mashaba to mislead people and get attention for his new political party.
- The Joburg mayor says he had decided not to accept the salary hike, but instead, donated the proposed increase to the Solidarity Fund.
City of Johannesburg Mayor Geoff Makhubo has slammed his predecessor Herman Mashaba and media reports for what he claims are false accusations that he had increased his own salary, in the face of numerous budget cuts, which could adversely impact residents.
This is ahead of the City attempting to pass the 2020/2021 budget in order to avert a constitutional crisis, which could see it being placed under administration.
READ | City of Johannesburg must pass budget before end of the week, Gauteng govt
In a statement by his spokesperson Mlimandlela Ndamase on Thursday, Makhubu said salaries and allowances granted to the mayor and other political office bearers in Johannesburg, like other government structures, were determined by the independent commission for office bearers which is chaired by Judge Monica Leeuw.
Ndamase also mentioned that the mayor would not be accepting the salary hike and would instead donate it.
“Makhubo told his caucus last week that he would not be accepting a salary increase and in line with the commitment he made at the beginning of the lockdown, when he donated a third of his salary to the Solidarity Fund, the proposed increase amount will be donated to the same fund,” said Ndamase
The City Press quoted Mashaba as saying the budget promised suffering for the people of Johannesburg across the board.
Makhubo accused the former mayor, who is now leader of the People’s Dialogue, of having benefitted from determinations made by the independent commission when he was at the helm for three years.
Mashaba resigned following the return of Helen Zille as part of the DA’s core leadership in October 2019.
“Had he taken time to familiarise himself with the laws and policies governing local government, he would have known that at no point does the Executive Mayor or Council determine salaries of the executive and councillors,” he said.
The mayor said Mashaba’s statements, which he described as “cheap political points”, were intended to deliberately mislead the public.
“They are an act of desperation to give relevance to his new political outfit,” said the Joburg mayor.
