Cape Town — ActionSA has announced the introduction of its new Cut Cabinet Perks Bill as part of its Cabinet Reform Package in an attempt to curb the bloated cabinet’s lavish spending.
In a statement, ActionSA said the bold legislative move will stop the unchecked spending limit, including President Cyril Ramaphosa’s control over the minsterial handbook and stop wasteful expenditure, especially while the Government of National Unity (GNU) is proposing a VAT hike that will worsen the hardships faced by South Africans.
“This Bill, originally introduced by the DA’s Leon Schreiber in 2023, lapsed and was never revived after the DA joined the GNU. As a result, ActionSA has taken decisive action by reintroducing it, reaffirming our commitment to cutting government waste. While others talk, we take action,” ActionSA’s Alan Beesley said.
“Our Cut Cabinet Perks Bill, the first step in our Cabinet Reform Package, will rein in unchecked ministerial spending, limit the President’s unilateral control over the ministerial handbook and curb wasteful expenditure.” – @AlanDBeesley https://t.co/1bdtU4wisi
— ActionSA (@Action4SA) March 18, 2025
The party proposed to amend the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers Act 1998 by doing the following:
- Ending the President’s unilateral authority to secretly amend the ministerial handbook without oversight.
- Compelling the President to seek approval from the Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers for any proposed changes and to consider prevailing economic conditions.
- Mandating Parliamentary accountability by requiring the President to report any amendments to the National Assembly.
- Ensuring there is an immediate review and thereafter every five years by Parliament of the existing perks of the President and Cabinet Members.
The party said the reforms would prevent abuse of public funds through unchecked extravagant perks and ensure that changes to any ministerial benefits are transparent and justified.
The party also welcomed the support shown by other parties who have joined the call to cut the bloated expenses and said the Bill would be the first initiative to make it a reality and abolish the wastefulness of the Deputy Minister positions in South Africa.
“ActionSA remains resolute to “Cut the Fat, Don’t Hike the VAT”. It’s time to put the interests of South Africans above the luxuries of the political elite,” Beesley said.
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Picture: X/@Action4SA
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
