Parliament’s former presiding officers, Lechesa Tsenoli and Amos Masondo, clashed just days before leaving office over a salary increase for their CEO, secretary to parliament Xolile George. Tsenoli opposed the raise, while Masondo was for it.
Tsenoli, acting speaker of the National Assembly until the dissolution of the sixth parliament in June 2024, objected to an inflation-related increase for George. According to sources, he did not support any further adjustments to George’s salary, which had already risen controversially from R2.6m to R4.4m within months of his appointment in June 2022.
The Sunday Times has established that Tsenoli’s objections did not sit well with Masondo, who was then chair of the National Council of Provinces. He reportedly warned Tsenoli that the dispute “could result in an unnecessary political and labour storm for the seventh parliament”. Despite Tsenoli’s opposition, Masondo secured the increase, pushing George’s pay package to R5.03m by the end of the 2024/25 financial year.
Masondo and George share a long-standing professional relationship dating back to Masondo’s tenure as mayor of Johannesburg and chair of the South African Local Government Association (Salga), where George served under him. George was CEO of Salga before joining parliament.
The controversy over George’s salary erupted last week during a meeting of the joint standing committee on the financial management of parliament (JSCFMP), when MPs from the EFF, the DA and the ANC clashed.
The public protector, advocate Kholeka Gcaleka, has recused herself from the probe, citing a ‘personal relationship’ with George.
The dispute stems from a DA complaint lodged during the sixth parliament regarding George’s earlier pay rise, with the ANC objecting to further scrutiny of George’s 2022 salary. The matter remains under investigation following a complaint filed by the DA with the public protector.
The public protector, advocate Kholeka Gcaleka, has recused herself from the probe, citing a “personal relationship” with George. The EFF has also approached the office of the auditor-general (AG), seeking answers after the current speaker of the National Assembly, Thoko Didiza, told parliament that the AG had found nothing untoward in George’s salary increase.
In response to questions from the Sunday Times, the AG’s office said: “The AGSA did not conduct a standalone or special audit specifically commissioned to review the recruitment or remuneration of the STP [secretary to parliament].
“However, as part of the 2023–24 regularity audit of parliament ... audit procedures were performed in accordance with the international standards on auditing and the Public Audit Act.
“These procedures addressed aspects of the appointment, remuneration and benefits of the STP insofar as they were relevant to assessing compliance with applicable legislation and regulatory frameworks ... The audit further considered parliament’s applicable internal policies and procedures.”
Neither Masondo nor Tsenoli responded to repeated requests for comment.
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