The president of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, has withdrawn the new ministerial handbook that gives perks such as free water and electricity to ministers and deputy ministers.
His spokesperson Vincent Magwenya told a press conference on Monday that Ramaphosa acknowledged the public sentiment on the matter, according to News24.
The amendment to the ministerial handbook was withdrawn after public outrage amid new perks to ministers and their deputies, which would see them enjoying free water and electricity at their official residences.
It would also have seen ministers and deputy ministers entitled to employ more staff at a cost of R87 million to taxpayers.
Ramaphosa amended the handbook in April but the move was heavily criticised by DA MP Dr Leon Schreiber for being implemented “without taxpayers or parliament being informed”.s
Serving as shadow minister for public service and administration, Schreiber said the amendment appeared to be “an effort by Ramaphosa to implement the devious plan announced earlier this year by ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe to make taxpayers pay the salaries of ANC staffers”.
The handbook allowed the minister for the public service and administration to appoint an “unlimited number of other ANC cadres upon request from his fellow ANC cadres in Cabinet”.