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Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma on Friday scored political points when he opted for a 5% salary increase for public office bearers, instead of the 7% recommended by a commission on renumeration.
The increase, however, would be backdated to April 2010.
A 7% increase would have been more than double the inflation rate and an unpopular decision, as South Africa's recovery from recession is still fragile.
Consumer inflation was 3.1% in September.
Zuma in October expanded his executive, which would cost the taxpayer more.
The presidency said Zuma had "exercised his prerogative" in opting for 5%.
Spokesperson Harold Maloka told Fin24 that Zuma considered the economic climate when making his decision.
"The president also looked at current inflation and the priorities of the government," Maloka said.
Earlier on Friday, the Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers said its recommendation was a 7% increase in the total remuneration package of all public office bearers for the 2010/11 fiscal year, according to its chairperson Judge Willie Seriti.
He had recommended that Zuma earn R2 412 561, an increase of R157 831.
With a 7% increase, a minister would have earned R1 845 639 and a deputy minister R1 519 923.
Seriti said the commission would recommend that former president and current deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe be paid a presidential taxable pension from the day he stepped down as president.
Motlanthe served as president from September 25 2008 to May 6 2009.
He said that nothing precluded office bearers from earning a salary after they leave work.
"The commission recommends that the current deputy president shall receive the pension benefits of a former president only and no salary for his services as deputy president, except those benefits and privileges which are necessary to enable the deputy president to carry out his functions," he said.
The increase, however, would be backdated to April 2010.
A 7% increase would have been more than double the inflation rate and an unpopular decision, as South Africa's recovery from recession is still fragile.
Consumer inflation was 3.1% in September.
Zuma in October expanded his executive, which would cost the taxpayer more.
The presidency said Zuma had "exercised his prerogative" in opting for 5%.
Spokesperson Harold Maloka told Fin24 that Zuma considered the economic climate when making his decision.
"The president also looked at current inflation and the priorities of the government," Maloka said.
Earlier on Friday, the Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers said its recommendation was a 7% increase in the total remuneration package of all public office bearers for the 2010/11 fiscal year, according to its chairperson Judge Willie Seriti.
He had recommended that Zuma earn R2 412 561, an increase of R157 831.
With a 7% increase, a minister would have earned R1 845 639 and a deputy minister R1 519 923.
Seriti said the commission would recommend that former president and current deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe be paid a presidential taxable pension from the day he stepped down as president.
Motlanthe served as president from September 25 2008 to May 6 2009.
He said that nothing precluded office bearers from earning a salary after they leave work.
"The commission recommends that the current deputy president shall receive the pension benefits of a former president only and no salary for his services as deputy president, except those benefits and privileges which are necessary to enable the deputy president to carry out his functions," he said.
