The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) condemns the 70% to 92% salary increase for the Secretary to Parliament, Mr Xolile George, which bypassed critical recruitment protocols, misleading the National Assembly.
In June 2022, Parliament approved Mr Xolile George’s appointment as Secretary to Parliament, based on an advertised salary of R2.6 million. However, it has since emerged that in a period of less than a year folliwng his appointment, the former Speaker of Parliament, Ms Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and the former NCOP Chairperson, Mr Amos Masondo, adjusted this salary to R4.4 million shortly after his arrival, without any immediate communication to the relevant parliamentary oversight bodies.
According to the Financial Management of Parliament and Provincial Legislatures Act (FMPPLA), which is the main law governing how Parliament manages its finances, the remuneration of the Secretary is determined by the Executive Authority, within the framework of transparency and accountability to Parliament. However, it is gravely concerning to note how the salary increase of Mr Xolile George, occurred under a cloud of secrecy, without the prior approval and knowledge of the Joint Standing Committee on Financial Management of Parliament (JSCFMP).
The EFF condemns the secretive nature of the decision and the scale of the hike, which pushed the annual package from an advertised R2.6 million to over 4.4 million, as this is an indication of abuse of state power. If a salary is deemed outdated or not market-related, the correct legal procedure to take would have been to re-advertise the post with the corrected salary range, rather than adjusting it in secret for a preferred candidate.
The fact that the increase was backdated raises further questions as the presiding officers misled Parliament, which is in itself a breach of the Powers, Privileges and Immunities of Parliaments Act, which sets out the legal responsibilities of parliamentary members and officials.
It is further concerning to note how Parliament defends this increase as a necessary act, claiming that the increase is because the original advertised salary was not aligned to responsibilities of the Secretary to Parliament.
Last night, during the Joint Standing Committee on Financial Management of Parliament, the National Assembly Speaker, Ms Thoko Didiza, reported that the Auditor-General, Tsakani Maluleka, had conducted an audit on the salary increase and made a presentation to the presiding officers when the annual report was tabled, and did not find any irregularity when she audited the appointment and salary package of Secretary to Parliament.
While the position is essentially as a staff member and not a Public Office Bearer, at over R4 million per year, the Secretary to Parliament, earns more than the Members of Parliament and more than the President of the Republic. This salary increase is, therefore, impossible to justify as it is an injustice that occurs at the backdrop of a high unemployment rate in the country.
The EFF therefore calls for:
- A full and transparent investigation into the process through which the Secretary to Parliament’s salary was increased beyond the advertised remuneration.
- Public disclosure of all documentation relating to the appointment, contract negotiations, and subsequent salary adjustments.
- A review of remuneration structures for senior parliamentary administrators to ensure they reflect the economic realities of South Africa and the principle of public service.
The EFF strongly condemns the salary increase for the Secretary to Parliament, as it represents a failure of oversight. It should not only be read as a budgetary adjustment, but should be read as an act that bypassed legal frameworks, amounted to misleading advertisement, and ignored ethical obligations of leadership in a failing economy.
The EFF is often viewed as a radical alternative to traditional political parties in South Africa.
Landfill Max
A professor in South Africa is teaching her students how to form Emglish sentences.
“Attention class I have two words: Cheetah, and dandelion. Can anybody use these together in a sentence?”
One student raises their hand,
“The cheetah is faster dandelion.”
Minty Devil
Bunny Chow. This is a traditional South African Indian dish and usually consists of curry served in a hollowed-out half-loaf of unsliced white bread. It’s best when the bread is soft and fresh and the curry is extra spicy.