There are 18 political parties in the National Assembly and the leaders of these parties all earn at least R1.5 million a year.
This translates to around just over R100,000 per month after tax.
President Cyril Ramaphosa earns the most amount of money of these leaders, with a salary of roughly R4.2 million, according to the Presidency budget, though his remuneration has yet to be approved.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen earns around R2.68 million now that he has been made the Minister of Agriculture.
The following party leaders and now ministers due to the formation of the Government of National Unity (GNU) all earn around R2.68 million per year:
- Leader of the Good Party, Patricia de Lille and now Minister of Tourism
- Leader of the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), Velenkosini Hlabisa and now Minister of Cooperative Governance & Traditional Affairs
- Leader of the Freedom Front Plus (FF), Pieter Groenewald and now Minister of Correctional Services
- Leader of Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC), Mzwanele Nyhontso and now Minister of Land Reform and Rural Development
- Leader of the Patriotic Alliance (PA), Gayton McKenzie and now Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture.
McKenzie told journalists when he was appointed as minister that he would donate his entire salary to the Joshlin Smith Foundation.
“One hundred percent of my salary I’m giving it to the Joshlin Smith Foundation for missing children for the duration of my stay in Parliament, 100% of my salary not 80% or 50% ... Because I’m not here for money, I’m here to change the lives of our people,” he said.
Al Jama-ah’s leader Ganief Hendricks and the United Democratic Movement’s (UDM) leader Bantu Holomisa earn around R2.2 million a year, as they are not ministers, but deputy ministers.
Mmusi Maimane, the leader of Build One South Africa (Bosa) and chairperson of Parliament’s Standing Committee on Appropriations earns around R1.6 million.
Leaders without ministerial positions
Songezo Zibi, leader of Rise Mzansi earns around R1.7 million as the chairperson of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa).
Umkhonto we Sizwe’s (MK) Dr John Hlophe earns around R1.8 million as he is Leader of the Opposition.
The following leaders earn around R1.5 million:
- Leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters, (EFF) Julius Malema
- Athol Trollip, Minority Party Leader of ActionSA
- Kenneth Meshoe, leader of the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP)
- Fadiel Adams, leader of the National Coloured Congress Party (NCC)
- Lehlohonolo Mahlatsi, leader of the United Africans Transformation Party (UAT)
- Vuyolwethu Zungula, leader of the African Transformation Movement Party (ATM).
A look at what the rest of South Africans earn
Statistics South Africa (StatsSA) noted in the latest quarterly employment survey that the average salary in SA is R26,791 a month or R321,492 per year.
Therefore, our lowest paid political leaders in Parliament, at R1.5 million per annum, earn almost five times more than the average South African salary of R321,492 per annum.
Salary increases
In June, the Presidency gazetted the salary increases for SA’s ministers, deputy ministers, members of Parliament and other legislators in the country.
According to the proclamation notice, the salary increases will take effect retroactively from April 2024. These public servants received a 2.5% increase.
New salary increases take ministers' salaries to over R2.6 million per annum, deputy president to over R3.1 million per annum and Speaker/NCOP chair to over R3.1 million per year.
For Parliament, the lowest-paid MPs will earn R1.2 million per year, R1.39 million for the whips, R1.5 million for the largest opposition party and R1.79 million for the whip of the majority party.
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