The City of Polokwane Municipality’s soon-to-be appointed Executive Personal Assistant to the Executive Mayor is going to be the highest paid among other municipalities’ PAs in Limpopo with a total annual package of R970K.
According to the job advert, the City of Polokwane Municipality will be paying the new Executive PA a hefty R969 838.90 for the duration linked to the Executive Mayor.
The leader of Democratic Alliance in Limpopo, Jacques Smalle, said the annual salary on offer is way too exaggerated.
DA condemns the move
“This is another way of the ruling party to use the service delivery money to pay for cronies,” said Smalle.
In the big Metropolitan Municipalities such as Johannesburg and Pretoria, the Executive PAs’ annual salaries are in the region of between R700K and R1-million. And Smalle said there is no way the City of Polokwane Municipality can be in the same scale of salaries with the big metros.
Political analyst, Arthur Shopola who is attached to the Department of Public Administration at the University of North West, said it is unfortunate that the municipality of Polokwane’s calibre is resorting to pay that kind of salary to a mere Executive PA while the mayor himself recently said that they cannot fulfil other service delivery needs.
“Politically and financially, in terms of a revenue, we agree that the City of Polokwane Municipality’s grade is equivalent to those of the metros. But they haven’t officially been declared or given that status yet.
‘No public financial sympathy’
“The suggested salary to the Executive PA shows that the Polokwane Municipality has no public financial sympathy. A good leader who leads by an example, should have rather prioritise service delivery over salaries,” said Shopola. In his opinion, the mayor’s Executive PA should just get a normal salary. Just like those in the other smaller metros.
Sunday World can reveal that the current salary for municipal executives varies between R302 154.55 to R631 651.52 per annum.
Thipa Selala, the city of Polokwane Municipality spokesperson, has a different opinion on the matter.
“Firstly, it is important to note that this is not a new development nor an anomaly. The remuneration attached to the post is consistent with what has previously been offered for the same position.
“This role is contractual and linked to the term of office of the Executive Mayor. And as such, it does not come with standard long-term employee benefits. These include pension contributions, housing allowance, or medical aid. The total package is thus structured to allow the incumbent to make personal arrangements for such benefits.”
Mayor’s office clarifies pay
Selala added that the role of the mayor’s Executive PA is a highly demanding, strategic support function. It requires a significant level of trust, confidentiality and executive competence. The package reflects not only the responsibilities attached to the role but also its seniority within the political support structure.
“We practice transparent and fair governance practices. And we welcome public interest and oversight in how positions are structured and remunerated.
“This is done in line with applicable regulations. Also the municipality’s commitment to attract the right calibre of professionals to support effective service delivery,” he said.
