DA to go to court over Secretary to Parliament&#x2019s appointment and high salary

The DA has gone to court to set aside the appointment of the Secretary to Parliament Xolile George.

Jan Gerber/News24

The DA is going to court to set aside the appointment of Xolile George,the secretary to Parliament. The party has long raised concerns about George’s salary hike.This is not the first time the DA has taken action against George.The DA has turned to the Western Cape High Court in a bid to have Parliament Secretary Xolile George’s employment contract set aside.

The legal action is the party’s latest challenge to George’s appointment and remuneration,which it argues has ballooned to more than R4 million a year.

Announcing the move on Friday,DA parliamentary leader George Michalakis said the party would file court papers seeking to invalidate George’s contract.

“The Secretary to Parliament received a 70% increase within months after being appointed,and he now earns more than R4.6 million per year,way above what Parliament can afford to pay the Secretary to Parliament,” Michalakis said.

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He added:

The DA is also of the opinion that Parliament was misled when the Secretary to Parliament was initially appointed at a salary of R2.6 million.

The DA has repeatedly challenged George’s appointment since he took office in June 2022.

At the time,the advertised salary range for the position was between R2.4 million and R2.6 million. Before joining Parliament,George served as chief executive of the South African Local Government Association (Salga).

Questions over his remuneration surfaced soon after his appointment. In December 2023,Parliament spokesperson Moloto Mothapo told News24 that George had been headhunted for the role,meaning there was no salary discrepancy. Following a review,his salary was increased to R4.4 million.

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The DA subsequently lodged a complaint against then-National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula,accusing her of misleading Parliament about George’s salary. However,after Mapisa-Nqakula resigned following her arrest on corruption charges in April 2024,the complaint was never concluded.

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In February 2026,the DA escalated the matter by lodging a complaint with the Public Protector and writing to President Cyril Ramaphosa,requesting that the Special Investigating Unit investigate the circumstances surrounding George’s appointment and salary increase.

“The DA will continue to fight for a Parliament that’s transparent and accountable because Parliament is the representative of the people and the public deserves a Parliament that functions well and effectively,” Michalakis said.

Responding to queries on Friday,Mothapo said: “Parliament notes the Democratic Alliance’s press statement regarding its intended legal action.”

“To date,Parliament has only received a notice to serve the application. Once the court papers have been received,Parliament will consider them and respond through the appropriate legal processes,” he said.