Despite a pay freeze in 2016\/17, and an economy in recession, president Jacob Zuma remains one of the highest-paid leaders in the world.<\/p>\n
In 2016, Zuma’s salary was approved at R2.87 million for the year, putting its current dollar value at US$214,780. Later in the year, due to poor economic conditions, the president signed off on a salary freeze for politicians, putting a halt to any adjustment for 2017.<\/p>\n
However, even without the typical 5% increase to his annual pay, president Zuma remains among the best-paid leaders in the world – with a truncated paycheque higher than many prime ministers in European countries, and his counterparts in the BRIC nations.<\/p>\n
Highest paid leaders<\/strong><\/p>\n Singaporean prime minister Lee Hsien Loong<\/strong> is widely known to command the highest salary of any politician in the world, and this position has not changed.<\/p>\n In April 2017, Singaporean state media revealed that\u00a0the latest salary increases in the nation will see the country’s 31 ministers and officials earning S$53 million a year (US$38 million).<\/p>\n The politician has taken several pay cuts over the years, but still earns a reported US$1.6 million annually \u2013 far more than any other official leader, despite being down from US$1.7 million in 2016.<\/p>\n Singapore’s president, Toby Tan – whose role is a largely ceremonial one, in the same vein as monarchs in European countries – also earns a significant US$1.1 million salary.<\/p>\n Australia’s PM Malcolm Turnbull<\/strong>, had his salary adjusted upwards to AU$527,852 (US$400,832), at the beginning of July, effectively making him the second-highest paid leader, placing ahead of the president of the United States for the first time.<\/p>\n US president Donald Trump<\/strong> draws the same salary as his predecessor, Barack Obama, which is set at US$400,000, but has made good on his campaign promises to donate it to other causes.<\/p>\n Trump has reportedly donated his full first-quarter, pre-tax earnings of US$78,333 to the National Park Service.<\/p>\n Germany’s chancellor Angela Merkel <\/strong>is paid a salary of EUR220,000 (US$250,535), while UK PM, Theresa May<\/strong>, earns a US$194,000 salary.<\/p>\n The new, younger generation of presidents and leaders joining the global elite – France’s Emmanuel Macron<\/strong>; Canada’s prime minister, Justin Trudeau<\/strong>; and Ireland’s PM Leo Varadkar<\/strong> – also receive comfortable salaries.<\/p>\n Varadkar will earn US$211,170 as head of the Irish government, while Macron will take home US$203,760, and Trudeau’s salary will increase to US$267,700 in 2017.<\/p>\n Within the BRICS nations, salaries appear far more modest, though the true extent and sources of their wealth – as with our local politicians – is widely questioned.<\/p>\n Russian president Vladimir Putin<\/strong> is said to draw a ‘humble’ salary of US$138,000, while Brazil’s controversial new president, Michel Temer<\/strong>, receives a fraction over US$113,000.<\/p>\n China’s Xi Jinping<\/strong>‘s salary is estimated at $22,000 a year, below India’s Narendra Modi<\/strong>‘s salary at $30,300.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n Leader<\/th>\n Country<\/th>\n Salary (US$)<\/th>\n Salary (ZAR)<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n \n Lee Hsien Loong<\/td>\n Singapore<\/td>\n $1 600 000<\/td>\n R21.4 million<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Malcolm Turnbull<\/td>\n Australia<\/td>\n $400 832<\/td>\n R5.4 million<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Donald Trump<\/td>\n United States<\/td>\n $400 000<\/td>\n R5.3 million<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Justin Trudeau<\/td>\n Canada<\/td>\n $267 700<\/td>\n R3.6 million<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Angela Merkel<\/td>\n Germany<\/td>\n $250 535<\/td>\n R3.3 million<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Jacob Zuma<\/strong><\/td>\n South Africa<\/strong><\/td>\n $214 780<\/strong><\/td>\n R2.9 million<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Leo Varadkar<\/td>\n Ireland<\/td>\n $211 170<\/td>\n R2.8 million<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Emmanuel Macron<\/td>\n France<\/td>\n $203 760<\/td>\n R2.7 million<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Shinzo Abe<\/td>\n Japan<\/td>\n $202 700<\/td>\n R2.7 million<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Theresa May<\/td>\n UK<\/td>\n $194 000<\/td>\n R2.6 million<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Vladamir Putin<\/td>\n Russia<\/td>\n $138 000<\/td>\n R1.8 million<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Michel Temer<\/td>\n Brazil<\/td>\n $113 000<\/td>\n R1.5 million<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Narendra Modi<\/td>\n India<\/td>\n $30 300<\/td>\n R405 500<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Xi Jinping<\/td>\n China<\/td>\n $22 000<\/td>\n R294 400<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n