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Oil ANC denounces Ginwala
December 07, 2009 Edition 2
Frene Ginwala's comments on salary hikes for government officials displayed an "astounding" level of "blinding pettiness", the office of the ANC's chief whip said yesterday.
The office's spokesman, Moloto Mothapo, was responding to a media report in which former Speaker of the National Assembly Frene Ginwala criticised President Jacob Zuma's approval of certain salary increases for government officials.
"Today's statements in the Sunday Times by ... Ginwala, in which she berates the decision by President Jacob Zuma to approve the seven percent salary increase for public office bearers, is gravely regrettable."
Mothapo said Judge Willie Seriti, who chaired an independent commission for the remuneration of public office-bearers, recommended that government salaries be increased by eight percent.
"President Zuma turned it down as he felt it was excessive ... The president's sensitivity to the current economic climate was lauded by many in our society. Whatever drives Ginwala ... to see poor leadership out of this political boldness remains a mystery. Her blinding pettiness is indeed astounding," said Mothapo.
Ginwala told the newspaper that the failure to reign in ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema and accepting salary hikes were signs of the poor quality of leadership shown by Zuma and his government.
"Look at the level of political leadership in this country. It's not very good. How many of our leaders lead by example?" she was quoted as saying. - Sapa
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