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Blue IQ 'pays R25 000 a meeting'

Johannesburg - Gauteng premier Nomvula Mokonyane's spokesperson would not be drawn on Wednesday on a DA complaint that board members of the Blue IQ economic development agency were earning "excessive" fees.

"We are busy restructuring all the agencies of Gauteng so that we can have a few agencies that are within the mandate of this government," her spokesperson Dumisani Zulu said.

He would not comment on the issue of the salaries, but said the reason for the restructuring was to save the money that "props up or runs" these agencies.

In response to questions put to the economic development MEC Firoz Cachalia, DA MP Jack Bloom found out that the chairperson of Blue IQ received R25 000 a meeting, while ordinary board members were paid R20 000 a meeting.

The highest paid member was Noedine Isaacs-Mpulo, who earned R901 000 last year as chairperson of Blue IQ and five other agencies of the department.

At the same time, she was CEO of Lefatshe Technologies, Bloom said.

Younaid Wada got R724 000 last year and Johnny Sexwale R493 000.

Bloom said Cachalia had said the Blue IQ board members were paid in accordance with their letters of appointment, dated January 30 2009.

He had requested a review of the levels of remuneration and a "downward revision" because they had demonstrated a "significant lack of good corporate governance".

Bloom said a board member at a state-owned enterprise like Eskom receives total fees per annum of R477 815.

On average, chairs of boards of private sector companies receive a payment of R834 000 per annum and board members are paid R362 000.

"With regard to the two board members who were paid despite being employed in other government entities, which is contrary to a National Treasury directive, Cachalia said that about R700 000 had been overpaid to them, but it was not clear that this could be legally recovered although he regarded it as 'completely improper'," said Bloom, who found the fees "outrageous".

- Sapa

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