Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya. (Photo: GCIS / Jairus Mmutle) 
Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya on Monday afternoon announced that recent amendments made by President Ramaphosa to the controversial Ministerial Handbook would be withdrawn.
Briefing the media at the Union Buildings, Magwenya said Ramaphosa was aware of dissatisfaction with the new amendments that gave government ministers and their deputies several new benefits.
Not presidential spox Vincent Mangwenya saying the amendment of the Ministerial Handbook was not nefarious but an attempt by Ramaphosa to balance what ministers can afford and what they can't afford.
— Simon Nare (@simonphomo) October 17, 2022
“President Ramaphosa has ordered the withdrawal process of the presidential minute on the Executive Members’ guide commonly known as the ministerial handbook of 2022. The withdrawal will give effect to the 2019 version of the guide, pending a review.
“President Ramaphosa accepts and appreciates the public sentiments on the matter; however, the impression created that the amendments were conducted in secrecy and to avoid public scrutiny is false,” he said.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has ordered the withdrawal process of the Ministerial Handbook that provides for free electricity and water for ministers and deputy ministers @dailysunsa
— Simon Nare (@simonphomo) October 17, 2022
The amendments to the handbook included that ministers and deputies would receive unlimited free electricity and water. Ministers were also allowed to buy vehicles worth R800,000 and have as many as 15 aides, which created four new positions in each ministry. Salary scales of administrative support staff in ministerial offices were increased from R850,000 to R1.15 million per year.
Visit Daily Maverick’s home page for more news, analysis and investigations
Apart from the public outcry, the DA and Cosatu also called for the new amendments to the handbook to be scrapped.
In a statement, the DA said Ramaphosa had betrayed the repeated promises he made when he assumed office — to reduce the unbearable burden of wasteful and corrupt spending. The party threatened legal action if the president failed to retract the amendments.
Read more in Daily Maverick: “Politicians behaving badly, part 132: Why pay for free electricity and water while millions get hungrier, colder and darker?”
“But perhaps most shocking of all is the fact that South Africans would not even have known that they are being forced to pay the water and electricity bills of ANC ministers, as well as at least R87-million more every year to employ additional ANC cadres in ministerial offices, were it not for the DA’s tireless work to hold the ANC accountable.
“Ramaphosa’s apparent effort to accommodate staff members that the ANC can no longer afford to pay by expanding the private offices of ministers and deputy ministers will cost South Africans, who are already struggling under the heavy burden of skyrocketing food, electricity and fuel prices, an astounding R87-million more every year,” the statement said. DM