THE life of a politician is not an easy one – it involves long days of lobbying for support, and for those who eventually win seats in parliament or provincial legislature, extra long hours serving constituencies.
That’s if one survives the political back-stabbing and gets elected to office. The job does have positive financial spin-offs, however.
Take Economic Freedom Fighters’ (EFF) Themba Wele, a long-time shack-dweller from Orange Grove informal settlement west of East London.
All his life Wele, like millions of others, has been listed as an unemployed youth. He put food on the table for his wife and three children through money made from piece work as a carpenter.
Come next month Wele, as a leader of a minority party in the Bhisho legislature, will begin to receive a salary of more than R85000 a month – an annual package of just over R1-million, according to a gazette signed by President Jacob Zuma in January.
As an MPL Wele, a business management graduate, gets a car allowance, an iPhone and a tablet with unlimited access to airtime and data bundles, all from the taxpayer.
This excludes claims he will cash in for travelling between his dusty shack and legislative house in Bhisho, as well as the free lunch at each committee meeting he attends and the more than 10 free plane tickets when travelling domestically.
Wele and his fellow EFF MPL, Siyabulela Peter, were yesterday prevented from entering legislature premises wearing the party’s traditional red miner overalls. They had to abandon them for designer suits before being granted entry. Wele said he would not let the financial package change much in his life – he planned to stay “rooted among the poorest of the poor”.
“The mandate that gave us these legislature seats, we got from the poorest people after they noted that this government was brutal towards them.
“I am also poor and staying in a shack. I am here to represent poor people who placed their trust in the EFF to highlight their plight and assist in changing their living conditions.” He added: “You mustn’t worry, I am the people’s person. I grew up among the poor and my life will not change a bit. I will remain rooted among those living in shacks and rural areas until I am assured their conditions will change.”
Wele was one of 63 MPLs from various political parties sworn in yesterday after ANC provincial chairman Phumulo Masualle was officially sworn in as premier and his predecessor, Noxolo Kiviet, as legislature speaker.
Masualle and Kiviet received a standing ovation from the packed legislature gallery, with everyone erupting into song after the swearing-in.
As premier Masualle is the highest paid in the legislature with an annual package of R1.9-million. He is followed closely by Kiviet, who now takes a cut, but at R1.7-million, she should still take her walk to the bank smiling. Ordinary MPLs will take home an annual salary package of R903826.
They have a huge job ahead of them though, and this is the message Masualle tried to get across when he told the house it would be no easy task.
“I am aware of the enormity of the task and my inspiration is that I stand on the shoulders of great giants in this province such as Oliver Tambo and Nelson Mandela. On Friday an executive council will be appointed and we will have to hit the ground running as the challenges facing our people remain urgent,” he said. — asandan@dispatch.co.zal See Page 4 for more
MPL shack dweller is set to earn R1m a year
That’s if one survives the political back-stabbing and gets elected to office. The job does have positive financial spin-offs, however.
Take Economic Freedom Fighters’ (EFF) Themba Wele, a long-time shack-dweller from Orange Grove informal settlement west of East London.
All his life Wele, like millions of others, has been listed as an unemployed youth. He put food on the table for his wife and three children through money made from piece work as a carpenter.
Come next month Wele, as a leader of a minority party in the Bhisho legislature, will begin to receive a salary of more than R85000 a month – an annual package of just over R1-million, according to a gazette signed by President Jacob Zuma in January.
As an MPL Wele, a business management graduate, gets a car allowance, an iPhone and a tablet with unlimited access to airtime and data bundles, all from the taxpayer.
This excludes claims he will cash in for travelling between his dusty shack and legislative house in Bhisho, as well as the free lunch at each committee meeting he attends and the more than 10 free plane tickets when travelling domestically.
Wele and his fellow EFF MPL, Siyabulela Peter, were yesterday prevented from entering legislature premises wearing the party’s traditional red miner overalls. They had to abandon them for designer suits before being granted entry. Wele said he would not let the financial package change much in his life – he planned to stay “rooted among the poorest of the poor”.
“The mandate that gave us these legislature seats, we got from the poorest people after they noted that this government was brutal towards them.
“I am also poor and staying in a shack. I am here to represent poor people who placed their trust in the EFF to highlight their plight and assist in changing their living conditions.” He added: “You mustn’t worry, I am the people’s person. I grew up among the poor and my life will not change a bit. I will remain rooted among those living in shacks and rural areas until I am assured their conditions will change.”
Wele was one of 63 MPLs from various political parties sworn in yesterday after ANC provincial chairman Phumulo Masualle was officially sworn in as premier and his predecessor, Noxolo Kiviet, as legislature speaker.
Masualle and Kiviet received a standing ovation from the packed legislature gallery, with everyone erupting into song after the swearing-in.
As premier Masualle is the highest paid in the legislature with an annual package of R1.9-million. He is followed closely by Kiviet, who now takes a cut, but at R1.7-million, she should still take her walk to the bank smiling. Ordinary MPLs will take home an annual salary package of R903826.
They have a huge job ahead of them though, and this is the message Masualle tried to get across when he told the house it would be no easy task.
“I am aware of the enormity of the task and my inspiration is that I stand on the shoulders of great giants in this province such as Oliver Tambo and Nelson Mandela. On Friday an executive council will be appointed and we will have to hit the ground running as the challenges facing our people remain urgent,” he said. — asandan@dispatch.co.zal See Page 4 for more
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