Speaker, the APC would like to congratulate Judge Willie Seriti on his appointment as chairperson of the Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers. The APC wishes him every success in this challenging responsibility.
His work has however been made easier by the foundational work done by his predecessor, Judge Dikgang Moseneke, in fundamentally restructuring remuneration packages for public office bearers.
The APC believes, however, that he has a groundbreaking responsibility to incorporate, for the first time, in his recommendations the remuneration packages for headmen and headwomen who have been illegally and unjustifiably omitted in recommendations from the commission all these years.
Headmen and headwomen constitute the underclass and the motive force of the institution of traditional leadership. They represent the closest leadership to the people.
They have been earning salaries that, in some instances, are as low as R1 083 per month, with no increase for the past decade. If the commission is to break new ground, it will be in how it handles this issue.
The APC calls upon the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs to co-operate fully and assist that process. Thank you.