I’m actually underpaid – Deputy Minister

Deputy Minister of Police, Dr. Polly Boshielo, has defended her and other deputy minster posts, saying that based on the amount of work she does, she is “underpaid.”

Boshielo was appearing before Parliament’s ad hoc committee investigating allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, about a criminal justice system capture.

South Africa has 43 deputy ministers drawing a salary of over R2.2 million annually, excluding perks. They are not members of the Cabinet, but are required to assist the now 32 Ministers.

Deputy ministers came under renewed scrutiny on 28 October during a parliamentary exchange, when DA MP Glynnis Breytenbach challenged Deputy Minister Cassel Mathale over his lack of duties.

Mathale revealed that no responsibilities had been delegated to him and effectively has nothing to do.

Then on 4 October, Boshielo testified that suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu did not assign her specific duties for over a year after her appointment, leading to perceptions that she and co-deputy Cassel Mathale were idle.

She only received formal responsibilities a week after Acting Minister Firoz Cachalia’s appointment in July 2025.

According to Boshielo, she was assigned “everything to do with” gender-based violnce and femicide, as well as infrastructure.

To counter suggestions that deputy ministers “earn their salaries without doing anything,” Boshielo presented her diary.

She said that this was to demonstrate her active involvement in tasks like assisting the minister, accounting to Parliament, and serving on portfolio committees.

She also highlighted her 31 qualifications, including a PhD in administration, to affirm her contributions, stating; “My qualifications speak for me.”

MK Party MP Vusi Shongwe then pressed Boshielo: “Would you say that you are earning your salary?”

Boshielo replied, “Yes actually, I think I’m underpaid, thank you, I can show you my diary, which I think if you can compare it with yours, you will not even come near to it.”

The Deputy Minister debate

ActionSA MP Alan Beesley said that he is “not surprised at all by Deputy Police Minister Mathale’s admission that he has not been assigned responsibilities.”

“The sad reality is that no one knows what  Deputy Ministers do, including their Ministers and the President yet we have 43 of them.”

“Not only do these Deputies draw big salaries but they also have numerous perks which are costing the fiscus dearly,” he added.

Deputy ministers are paid an annual salary of R2.215 million each, so the 43 positions set up last year cost about R95 million a year in salaries alone.

To that cost must be added salaries for support staff at about R192 million, and an unknown extra cost for VIP protection, official residences, luxury vehicles, international travel, and other perks.

“Nobody would really mind how large the cabinet is if there were no financial implications attached,” wrote sessional law lecturer at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), Paul Kaseke. “However, that is far from the case.”

“Critics may well argue that saving [money].. by cutting out deputy ministers is a drop in the ocean… but every cent saved by the state counts,” said Kaseke.

President Cyril Ramaphosa recently defended the role of deputy ministers, saying they are vital to government operations, though he acknowledged that a leaner executive would be preferable.

Responding to criticism that deputy ministers are redundant and inflate the executive’s size to 75 members, Ramaphosa said they “play a critical role” by working with ministers and senior officials to develop proposals before they reach cabinet.

Ramaphosa replied that he too favours a smaller cabinet but said the current size results from the GNU formed after the 2024 elections.

He maintained that deputy ministers are “putting their shoulder to the wheel” despite the constraints of the arrangement.