LETTER: How do fat-cat SOE bosses sleep?

Inequality is a favourite word bandied about by the ANC, with the blame squarely laid on certain sections of the population.

But one word comes to mind immediately in reaction to the recent report on exorbitant packages paid to those in charge of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and government departments: disgusting. Some are paid more than the president.

How do these top 10 sleep at night when they consider the parlous state of the nation and millions of their countrymen going to bed on empty stomachs each night — if they have beds and roofs over their heads at all? And most are unemployed, with the jobs situation worsening by the day.

Had the SOEs and departments been flourishing entities, making healthy profits, one could almost excuse their self-indulgence. But it is common knowledge that they are all firing on one cylinder, relying on the ever-so-patient taxpayer to fork out bailout funds, not only to keep the businesses alive but to pay their inflated salary packages year after year.

Before talking inequality the ANC government should do some serious introspection. How long can the have-nots — and the law-abiding electorate — watch these unproductive fat cats squander money provided by the good people of the country?

Cliff Buchler, Claremont

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