‘So much money?’ say unimpressed South Africans on MP salaries

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula was highly criticised on social media after sharing a report of salaries of the country’s government officials as recommended by the Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers on Friday.

Ministers will earn R2.47 million a year, with deputy ministers pocketing R2.04 million, while President Cyril Ramaphosa will be earning R3.8 million a year.

Members of the National Assembly will take home R1.15 million, while Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen, currently main opposition leader, will be earning R1.65 million, while leaders of minority parties will be earning R1.36 million.

See below how much government officials will be earning this year:

South Africans have taken to social media to voice their frustration over the salaries, in a country where the minimum wage is R3,500 and its people are living in poverty.

Twitter user @LuyandaTheGreat said: “In a country where minimum wage is R3,500 wow,” while Sibusiso Ngobeni replied: “John is living proof that with only a matric certificate, you too can earn R1,600,000 in this country, many doctors, lawyers, teachers, policemen, accountants, engineers don’t even earn that much… just saying.”

These were some of the reactions on social media:

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