South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has withdrawn controversial perks for cabinet ministers.
The amendment, which has caused a public outcry, provides for the free provision of electricity and water for Ministers and Deputy Ministers.
Presidency spokesman Vincent Magwenya said on Monday evening that the president “acknowledges and appreciates the public sentiments on the matter”.
“President Ramaphosa has ordered the withdrawal process of the Presidential minute on the Executive Members’ Guide, commonly known as the Ministerial Handbook, for 2022. The withdrawal will give effect to the 2019 version of the guide, pending a review, ” he said.
Magwenya said the president had heard and listened to the public aversion to the changes in the handbook.
“The president has listened. The president appreciates the public outcry in the context of socio-economic pressures South Africans are facing. We can take heart in the fact that the President has ordered the withdrawal of this. The president is heartened by the fact that we have an active citizenry, that, on an ongoing basis, participates in our democratic processes [and] sometimes, vehemently so, disagrees with decisions of government.
“I think we can take heart in the fact that the President has ordered the withdrawal of this notice that gave effect to this guide, simply because he is attuned to the challenges that South Africans are faced with on a daily basis,” Magwenya noted.
He emphasized that the “intention behind the amendments was not a nefarious one”.
Another amendment in South Africa also in the spotlight is the removal of the limit on how many staff members can be employed in Ministers’ private offices.
