A storm has erupted over a proposed pay hike for South Africa’s top political leaders, after a recommendation surfaced calling for above-inflation salary increases despite the country’s deepening economic strain.
The proposal, published in the Government Gazette this week, has sparked fierce backlash from political parties, analysts and civil society voices who say the timing could not be worse.
At the centre of the controversy is the Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers, which has suggested a 4.1% increase for public office bearers in the 2025/2026 financial year, as per the Cape Argus. If the recommendation is approved, the President’s annual salary would climb by roughly R137 000, taking his total earnings to about R3.4 million. The Deputy President would see his pay rise by just under R130 000, pushing his package to around R3.1 million a year.
Cabinet Ministers are also set to benefit, with increases of about R110 000 that would lift their annual salaries to approximately R2.8 million. Deputy Ministers, meanwhile, would earn more than R2.3 million per year under the proposed adjustments.
The recommendation has drawn sharp criticism from the uMkhonto weSizwe Party. National spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela accused the President of poor performance, claiming the country has been driven deeper into debt while infrastructure continues to deteriorate. He described the situation within government as a ‘brain drain’ and argued that leaders who preside over such conditions do not deserve salary increases. Ndhlela went further, saying the proposal shows a lack of respect for South Africans, particularly the poorest, and labelled it an insult to those who sacrificed for the country’s freedom.
GOOD Secretary-General Brett Herron echoed these concerns, saying it is extremely difficult to justify salary increases for public office bearers when millions of South Africans are struggling to put food on the table. He pointed to widespread hunger, the absence of a national food programme and the lack of a proper basic income guarantee as reasons why the increases are hard to defend. At the same time, Herron acknowledged that the commission’s recommendations are based on several factors and noted the broader argument that capable leadership is needed to address unemployment, poverty and inequality.
Political analyst Professor Sipho Seepe described the proposal as a ‘slap in the face’ for ordinary citizens battling to survive. He suggested that true solidarity would see members of the executive voluntarily forgoing any increases to show they understand the hardship faced by the public, adding that he would not be surprised if the recommendation were ultimately signed into law.
Offering a contrasting view, political analyst Dr Ricky Mukonza said the proposed increases are reasonable when compared with what senior figures in the private sector and quasi-public organisations earn. However, he stressed that the real concern lies with low-paid public servants at the bottom of the salary scale, who are also grappling with severe economic pressure. Mukonza argued that if corruption and financial leakages were properly addressed, the state should be able to pay its leaders fairly while still delivering essential services, noting that public anger is intensified when these increases are viewed alongside the daily struggles of ordinary South Africans.
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