MPs earn more than 99% of South Africans
The Presidency says the annual salary of an MP currently stands at R1.27 million per annum.
Picture: Pixabay
Lester Kiewit speaks to Dr JM Hoskins, a lecturer in political philosophy in the Department of Political Studies, Economic and Management Sciences (EMS) Faculty at UWC.
With the 'feeding frenzy' of electioneering over, a leading political academic is pointing to the contradiction that exists between the lives of MPs and many of those they have been elected to serve.
The latest figures announced by The Presidency earlier this year put the annual salary of MPs at R1.27 million per annum, putting them in the top 1% of salaries in the country.
Dr JM Hoskins recent opinion piece 'Of Coalitions, GNUs and Malnutrition', highlights the rate of malnutrition in South Africa.
It would be a stretch to speculate that this perennial problem that affects 27% of children under the age of five was uppermost in the minds of Steenhuizen, Ramaphosa, Malema, and Zuma in their power-seeking games, writes Hoskins.
"It is an egregious contradiction that R600 million per annum is spent on 400 people, plus the necessary perks that go with it..."
Dr JM Hoskins, Lecturer in political philosophy in the Department of Political Studies, Economic and Management Sciences (EMS) Faculty at UWC
"And then at the other side of the continuum, for an ordinary household to survive on their social grants which is R6542, they still find themselves short of R1764 to meet their basic needs
Dr JM Hoskins, Lecturer in political philosophy in the Department of Political Studies, Economic and Management Sciences (EMS) Faculty at UWC
After the coalitions and GNUs have been decided, will it be in the interests of all South Africans or a particular class of people, asks Hoskins.
"Whether it's the DA, the ANC, MK, whatever party you want to think of, they are all part of the ruling classes."
Dr JM Hoskins, Lecturer in political philosophy in the Department of Political Studies, Economic and Management Sciences (EMS) Faculty at UWC
"They have no interest in the 5-year-olds that suffer malnourishment every single day. They are worried about the power games they are playing in Parliament."
Dr JM Hoskins, Lecturer in political philosophy in the Department of Political Studies, Economic and Management Sciences (EMS) Faculty at UWC