Traditional leaders now cost taxpayers R140m
November 27, 2008
By Donwald Pressly
Cape Town - The salaries of South Africa's royal families and senior traditional leaders are costing the taxpayer at least R140 million a year.
This does not take into account perk payments made by provincial legislatures for session allowances, nor the nearly R40 million paid by KwaZulu-Natal for the household expenses of King Goodwill Zwelithini.
The Moseneke commission has recommended an 11 percent salary increase, backdated to April, for the almost 900 senior traditional leaders, taking their incomes to R144 000 a year each. This amounts to about R126 million a year.
The 11 kings, including Zwelithini, will receive nearly R800 000 a year, up from about R600 000. This amounts to an annual bill of nearly R9 million.
South Africa is a great country to live in it seems - that is, if you aren't a poor pleb paying your taxes! I say... screw this bs that we have to pay traditional leaders a salary - get a job... like the rest of us and make your own money.
