'They buy 2 loaves, 2 TVs' - Ramaphosa says MPs barely getting by on salaries

The assertion by Ramaphosa comes despite continued backlash on the cost of salaries and benefits to the public purse.

The 2020 government gazette on the remuneration for public office bearers revealed the speaker of the National Assembly and the chairperson of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) earned close to R3 million for the year.

The chief whips for the majority party and the leader of the opposition party earned more than half of that, while other MPs earned a little over R1 million.

The handsome salaries are matched with allowances, benefits, and the other resources.

But Ramaphosa told media in Cape Town on Thursday that MP salaries were constrained.

"You will know of course that Members of Parliament have not had an increase this year and last year.

"This year the commission said no to increases. In previous years they had put increases slightly higher, but I kept cutting back," said Ramaphosa.

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He added the benefits are part and parcel.

"I've found very difficult to take away benefits from people but there will come a time.

"I think MPs have really been cut to the bone because they've no meaningful increase for quite a while."

Ramaphosa further stated that some MPs were not making ends meet.

"They may seem to many people that they are living it up and have a great life, they're not.

"Being a Member of Parliament basically means you are setting up two homes - you've got a home where you come from and a home here (in Cape Town).

"You buy one load of bread at home, you've got to buy another one here. You buy two loaves, two TV, whatever. You buy two of everything."

Earlier this year, the Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office-Bearers, which is based in the Presidency, determined that politicians, judges and traditional leaders should not receive salary increases mainly due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Listen to Ramaphosa below:

Read full gazette below: