NATIONAL NEWS - Provincial governments will have to find almost R100-million – or more – to pay salary increases to headmen and headwomen as determined by President Jacob Zuma.

The cash-strapped Eastern Cape, which has 1 193 headmen, will be paying R100-million in headman salaries this year.

KwaZulu-Natal – which has 2 039 recognised headmen (izinduna in Zulu) – will have to find an extra R139-million to pay these comparatively junior traditional leaders, who at present receive R15 600 a year.

The president, acting on the recommendation of the Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers, has determined salaries for the nation’s more than 5 000 headmen and women be standardised at R84 125 a year.

Last year, headmen cost the country R317-million. This year it will be R407-million – an increase of 28.4%.

The new salary determination will require KwaZulu-Natal to fork out R171-million in izinduna salaries next year, a huge jump from the R32-million it is paying now.