As you vote, think of where your money goes

Think about it. Our municipal manager who can't even bill properly earns nearly R7 000 a day. And the divisive, Madiba shirt-wearing Mike Sutcliffe is not far off.

As a metro mayor you enjoy the services of a full-time staff, a driver and bodyguards.

Then this is what mayors stand to earn:

* Amos Masondo of Johannesburg had an inclusive package of R955 000.
* Ditto for the mayor of Ekurhuleni.
* eThekwini mayor Obed Mlaba's last reported salary was R866 000.
* The mayor of the Metsweding district municipality, embracing Cullinan and Bronkhorstspruit, earns R517 483 a year, including transport and cellphone.
* The mayor of Cape Town earns more than R850 000. The DA's Patricia de Lille is the frontrunner, but Cosatu's Tony Ehrenreich, her competitor, says he will decline a salary.
* The mayor of the Sol Plaatje council in Kimberley draws R464 621 a year.
* In Johannesburg a member of the executive or mayoral committee earns R723 191 a year, which includes a basic salary and car allowance.
* None of this compares to city managers. Johannesburg municipal manager Mavela Dlamini has an all-inclusive package of R2,1-million, while eThekwini's Mike Sutcliffe picks up R1,9-million. Ekurhuleni municipal manager Khaya Ngema walks away with R1,8-million, while Tshwane acting manager Oupa Nkoane gets R1,2-million. Cape Town's Achmat Ebrahim earns R1,4-million, Nelson Mandela Bay municipal manager Elias Ntoba earns R1,04-million and Kimberley's Sol Plaatje municipal manager Goolam Akharwaray rakes in R1,4-million.

If these people gave us even the most basic of services, we could say well done, but ...