The perks of being an MP

Parliament’s two Houses, the National Assembly (NA) and National Council of Provinces (NCOP), have just concluded their first sittings – where Members of Parliament were sworn in, and the President was formally elected along with the Speaker of the NA, the Chairperson of the NCOP, and other relevant office bearers. Next is the President’s inauguration, and then the date of the State of the Nation Address (SONA) will be announced, marking the official opening of Parliament.

Soon, many Members of the NA and, especially the NCOP will be flying from their homes to their work place in Parliament, in Cape Town. Besides legislative duties, which keep most Members in Cape Town, MPs also have to perform oversight duties and study tours, which may take them from place to place, locally and internationally.

We often hear about the busy lives of MPs, but know very little about the financial costs and benefits involved in the work they do.

According to the Government Gazette of 9 January 2014, NA members and delegates of the NCOP both earn R933 852. In an ENCA report from January, it was reported that President Jacob Zuma went against the advice of the Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers’ recommendation not to increase the salaries of high-earning politicians and decided to raise the salaries of public office bearers by 5% (backdated to April last year to cover the financial year).

According to calculations by the Sunday Independent the salary increases for 34 ministers, 33 deputies as well as 52 chairpersons of parliamentary committees, 53 parliamentary whips, leaders of opposition parties, about 200 ordinary MPs, nine premiers, 90 MECs and 331 ordinary members of provincial legislatures will cost at least R45 million of tax payers money in the 2013/14 financial year.

The Speaker of the NA and the Chairperson of the NCOP each earn a basic salary of almost R2.5 million.

But what about the other perks? According to Parliamentary spokesperson, Estelle Randall, Members are entitled to 86 single economy class air journeys, accommodation in Parliamentary villages, airport parking, reimbursed allowances for travel costs between airport and home and travel facilities for dependents, according to the policy for travel.

They are also provided with parking in the Parliamentary precinct, a fully equipped office in the Parliamentary precinct and “they are provided with a comprehensive allowance and have full responsibility for choosing their ICT through mobile service providers. Parliament reimburses members for all costs incurred, limited to an approved ceiling. The ceiling is still to be decided by the Fifth democratic Parliament’s governance processes”, says Randall.