Secretary to Parliament pulls in R4.9 million, out-earning President Ramaphosa
The salary package of Secretary to Parliament Xolile George has come under scrutiny.
Image: Henk Kruger / Independent Newspapers
National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza said the presiding officers have no reason to believe there was any irregularity in the appointment of Secretary to Parliament Xolile George, whose annual salary is far larger than President Cyril Ramaphosa’s R3.4 million.
A report by Auditor-General (A-G) Tsakani Maluleke showed that the salary package for George's post, which now stands at R4.9m, was initially advertised at R2.6m, but it was increased to R4.4m within six months of the appointment of George.
This, while the president of the republic ‘only’ gets a R3.4m salary.
Briefing the Joint Standing Committee on Financial Management of Parliament on Thursday night, Didiza said A-G Maluleke had conducted an audit following media reports and made a presentation to the presiding officers when the annual report was tabled.
Didiza said: “In the letter she gave to us on the work they did, they did not find any irregularity. As the executive authority, we have no reason to believe anything might have been done incorrectly.
Didiza was briefing the committee in the wake of the DA requesting Ramaphosa to authorise the Special Investigating Unit to probe George’s salary package.
Didiza said the post was advertised in early 2020 with a salary package ranging between R2.4m and R2.6m, down from the R3.2m package of George’s predecessor, Gengezi Mgidlana.
She said the then Speaker Thandi Modise and Masondo had instructed that the maximum salary be R2.6m after an irregularity was found in the notch due to a pending benchmarking exercise.
President Cyril Ramaphosa
Image: IOL
The post was re-advertised in October 2020 on the condition that benchmarking was obtained.
While 43 applications were received, eight candidates were shortlisted. George was appointed after the interview panel unanimously recommended him.
Didiza said the remuneration package had not been concluded and was the subject of negotiations and further consideration when the appointment was made.
Meanwhile, MK Party acting parliamentary leader Des Van Rooyen slammed the DA for “hypocrisy”, pointing to the high salary of R4.4m earned by the DA-led Cape Town City manager, Lungelo Mbandazayo, per AG’s 2023/24 local government report.