South Africa’s millionaire politicians: how much ministers, MPs and party leaders will be paid this year

The presidency has gazetted the official salary tables for government officials for 2022/23, showing exactly how much the country’s millionaire politicians will get paid this year.

Earlier this month, president Cyril Ramaphosa announced that he had approved a 3% increase for all public office bearers (POBs).

The decision followed recommendations made by the Independent Commission for the Remuneration for public office bearers that salaries of all public office bearers, including ministers, judges, magistrates and traditional leaders, be increased by 3.8% for the 2022/2023 financial year.

Amid the proposal, some POBs had demanded a 7% increase in light of recent inflationary numbers, while others called for even more, as they pointed to a 20.6% decrease in their effective pay in recent years.

However, finance minister Enoch Godongwana said the fiscus could only afford a 1.5% increase and pleaded with the commission to re-assess the prevailing adverse economic conditions and the extent to which the general population faces despair, especially the survival of the population on government social assistance schemes and containing the wage bill to distribute funding to extreme priority programmes.

The Treasury added that the salary recommendations are tone-deaf in a country battling high poverty levels, forcing President Cyril Ramaphosa into a debt balancing act.

Despite the arguably low increases, the move was still met with wide backlash, particularly from public sector labour unions which are in a constant battle with the government over wage hikes for low-earners.

It has been argued that even a 3% hike on salaries over R1 million equates to a significant jump – and is coming at a time that the rest of the country is struggling to make ends-meet, largely thanks to the crippling of the economy brought about by the same government officials who are now taking a bigger cut.

Salary hikes for Cabinet ministers are viewed as particularly egregious, as these millionaires also enjoy an entire spread of tax-free benefits and perks, all paid for by the South African taxpayer.

This includes over R3 billion worth of private VIP security – more than is budgeted for serious crime investigations in the country – who then go on to assault ordinary citizens.

South Africa’s millionaire ministers are now even wealthier, with the president granting them an increase to R2.58 million a year, from R2.4 million before.

Deputy ministers will see their salaries bumped up to R2.1 million. The deputy president will see his salary climb to R3 million.

While much of the ire is directed at (mainly ANC) members of the executive, members of the National Assembly – which include all represented parties – will also see their already over R1 million salaries hiked further.

Speaker of the National Assembly earns on par with the deputy president at R3 million, and the same goes for the chairperson of the National Council of Provinces.

Ordinary members of parliament now earn R1.2 million a year (same for permanent delegated of the NCOP).

Opposition party leaders and their whips also benefit greatly.

Leader of the main opposition – currenty John Steenhuisen of the DA – will see his salary bumped up to R1.7 million, while all other minority leaders – such as the EFF’s Julius Malema – will see their salaries hiked to R1.43 million.

Chief whips will also see their salaries jump to R1.7 million, R1.42 million and R1.33 million for majority party, largest minority party and minority party whips, respectively.

The full salary hikes can be seen below:

Deputy president, ministers and deputy ministers 2022/23

Members of the National Assembly and NCOP 2022/23

Premiers, MECs and Members of Provincial Legislatures

Read: South Africa is bleeding millionaires