This while government was expecting to collect R1.3-trillion in taxes, 4% less (R53bn) than it had projected in February.

He said ministers, their deputies and all political office bearers would no longer be paid subsistence and travel allowances for both local and international trips.

Mboweni is also gunning for the cellphone allowances of his cabinet colleagues, telling parliament that a "new cellphone dispensation will cap the amount claimable from the state".

At a closed press briefing before addressing MPs, Mboweni said the government was spending more than R5bn on cellphone allowances, which he believed should be curtailed.

Mboweni also suggested that the pay freeze should be extended to the 400 members of parliament, who on average earn an annual salary of R1.1m on top of taxpayer-sponsored free flights, cellphone and car allowances, and subsidised food and accommodation in Cape Town.

But he said he was leaving it to parliament's presiding officers to take a final decision on the matter.

"I encourage the leadership of parliament to think about how they can further contain their compensation and benefits," said a hawkish Mboweni.

As for civil servants, Mboweni said in MTBPS documents that their salaries had increased by 40% in real terms in the past 10 years and he favoured a below-inflation increase in the next three years.