South Africa allocates R300m for outgoing councillors' gratuities in 2026

The South African government has earmarked R300m for gratuity payments to councillors who lose their seats in the 2026 local elections, reallocated from municipal infrastructure budgets. This final round of golden handshakes raises sustainability concerns as funds are diverted from infrastructure spending. The move signals fiscal strain and potential political fallout ahead of the elections.

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