Calls for investigation into parliament’s secret salary increase

The National Assembly Speaker and the chairperson of NCOP handed the Secretary to Parliament, Xolile George, a salary hike of almost 70% – and the DA wants answers.

According to a Sunday Times report, National Assembly speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and NCOP chair Amos Masondo quietly approved the salary increase for George and then lied about it.

Xolile George was CEO of the South African Local Government Association (Salga) before applying for the role of Secretary to Parliament last year.

Mapisa-Nqakula and Masondo publicly agreed in June 2022 that George would be paid R2.6 million a year and told other political parties and the public that George was happy to take a pay cut from his previous job as CEO of Salga, where he was paid over R5 million a year.

However, documents seen by the Sunday Times this week show that, within seven months, Mapisa-Nqakula and Masondo increased George’s salary to R4.4 million a year, almost 70% more than the offer he accepted in June 2022, reported the Sunday Times.

Following this report, The Democratic Alliance (DA) has written to the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr Lechesa Tsenoli, to refer the investigation into the Speaker of the National Assembly, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, to the Powers and Privileges Committee.

The DA noted that Parliament approved the appointment of George in June 2022 based on the misleading information provided by the Speaker in Parliament, in that Mr George’s salary would amount to R2.6 million, in line with what Parliament can afford.

The almost 70% salary increase information was not disclosed to Parliament and remains officially undisclosed, the DA said.

The DA contends that there are a number of breaches of ethics, accountability, transparency requirements and misconduct by the Speaker, in particular:

• She misled Parliament about the remuneration of the Secretary to Parliament. She committed to MPs and to the country that he would be paid no more than R2.6 million, when in fact, she and Masondo had colluded to increase his salary once he was appointed.

• By misleading the public about the remuneration package, the Political Heads likely prejudiced other suitable candidates who may have applied for the role. This is not only unethical; it likely places the institution in legal jeopardy.

• It can only be deduced that this was done specifically to engineer a particular desired and secret outcome – George’s appointment, to the exclusion of other candidates.

• Mapisa-Nqakula and Masondo have betrayed public trust in Parliament. Backroom deals, to the tune of R4.4 million no less, have no place in an institution whose job is to hold the government to account on behalf of South Africans and must itself exemplify open, transparent and ethical public financial management.

In response to the Sunday Times article, Parliament said the longstanding custom of evaluating the compensation package for the Accounting Officer has remained consistent over time.

“This careful review process aims to maintain the package’s competitiveness, equity, alignment with industry norms, and reflection of the role’s demands. This practice serves as a crucial strategy for Parliament to both attract and retain highly skilled individuals and ensure organizational stability,” it said.

In endorsing the recommendation of the experts regarding this review, the Presiding Officers were also mindful of the prevailing socio-economic conditions in the country. Hence, the reviewed remuneration package for Mr George was set below (by approximately 26%) what he earned in his previous position as CEO of Salga, Parliament added.

“The decision to review Mr Xolile George’s remuneration package was thorough, objective, and in line with longstanding practices. We remain committed to transparency and fairness in all our actions and decisions related to the well-being of our employees, including the Accounting Officer of Parliament,” it said.

Ordinarily, a Member of Parliament would refer a complaint about another MP to the Speaker for investigation, who would then refer matters for investigation and adjudication to the said Committee.

However, because the speaker is at the centre of these grave allegations of misconduct and therefore conflicted, the Deputy Speaker now needs to take the lead in handling the case, said the DA.

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