Working in the service industry can be a thankless task, because many South Africans aren’t well versed in the art of please and thank you.

You’re also forced to rely on tips to make ends meet, which must add to the stress levels of a job that is known for driving people to drink.

That’s unless you work as a bartender for Parliament, a position that comes with a pretty decent salary.

How much? Details below from Business Tech:

Parliament has put an advert out for a number of job positions that have opened up – including a bartender position offering an annual salary of R283,611 (R23,600 a month).

…the median bartender salary in South Africa is R46,950 per year (R3,900 a month) – with the the highest recorded at R93,650 a year (R7,800)…

According to the job ad, which appeared in the Sunday Times this past weekend, prospective bartenders will need to know the ins and outs of Parliament, and should be able to manage stressful situations.

“The successful candidate will provide friendly and efficient service within the bar‚ dispensing orders accurately‚ with courtesy to the standard required according to legislation.”

Here’s the Sunday Times page in question, with the bartender job at the bottom:

Close to R24 000 a month isn’t at all bad.

That’s before you consider the tips that will come your way. I assume the likes of Bathabile Dlamini are happy to leave a few Randelas on the counter, as long as you don’t cut her off before she has quenched her thirst.

We know that many of our MPs are fans of a toot – just ask anyone who has stuck their head into The Twankey Bar, where politicians can usually be found knocking back a drink.

I suppose it’s all fun and games until someone like Mervyn Dirks comes along.

So who cares if Parliament pays its bartender well, you say. I’ll tell you who – the police. Over to the Citizen:

Representatives for South Africa’s police officers are upset that Parliament wants to pay their new bartender more than an officer earns.

Revelations that Parliament pays its bartender more than junior police officers earn has enraged the South African Police Union (Sapu)…

As a bartender for Parliament, you would earn at least R283 611 a year (about R23 000 a month). In comparison, says Sapu, police constables earn just R180 000 a year…

Sapu general secretary Oscar Skommere pointed out police constables worked in “dangerous situations on daily basis”, making the fact that a bartender would earn more money unfair.

They also got a dig in with this beaut:

According to the ad, to be a bartender in parliament, you need a Grade 12 qualification, a National Certificate in food and beverage services, computer literacy skills and at least two years of experience. Whether or not being able to keep the secrets that may spill out of MPs’ lips after a few drinks is considered a plus is a matter of speculation.

Let’s hope whoever lands this bartending job knows how to sling a cocktail at a decent speed, because they might have their hands full.

[sources:bustech&citizen]