Top government officials will be paid the same salaries as in 2019 as remuneration for ministers, premiers, and members of Parliament for 2021 has been approved and gazetted by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
The Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers recommended that there be no increase to the remuneration packages of all public office bearers this year.
Every year, the commission runs a consultation process and analyses economic factors. It then makes a recommendation to the president, who ultimately decides on increases.
For 2020, the commission recommended that government employees who earn more than R1.5 million should get a 3% increase. But Ramaphosa opposed the recommendation, and in the end, government's top earners did not get a pay hike.
This week, Ramaphosa signed off on the salaries, which were gazetted on Thursday, and no increases were granted.
For 2021, the Deputy President, Speaker in the National Assembly, and Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces are each entitled to a package of R2 825 470 for the year, according to the gazette.
Each minister will receive total remuneration of R2 401 633, while deputy ministers will receive a package of R1 977 795.
At a provincial level, premiers will receive R2 260 409 this year, while executive council members will be paid R1 977 795.
At the lowest level, permanent delegates of the National Council of Provinces will receive a package of R1 137 933.
Ramaphosa's salary - currently R2.99 million a year - must be ratified by Parliament.
Last year, at the start of the country's hard lockdown, Ramaphosa and the cabinet took a pay cut of 33% in their salaries for three months as the country was staring into an economic abyss.