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.
