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. 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.