DA senior leaders' perks and salary top-ups revealed

Several senior Democratic Alliance (DA) leaders enjoy substantial financial top-ups to supplement their already handsome government salaries, as claims of double standards resurface within the party.

A confidential leaked report signed in December by the DA’s former federal finance chairperson, Dr Dion George, names party leaders who currently receive additional financial support.

The report details “payments, or top-ups, currently paid by the party to any public representative”.

These include outgoing DA leader John Steenhuisen, Deputy Finance Minister Ashor Sarupen, former Tshwane mayor Cilliers Brink, head of policy Mathew Cuthbert, member of Parliament (MP) Werner Horn, parliamentary chief whip George Michalakis, and uMngeni Mayor Chris Pappas.

ALLEGATIONS OF DOUBLE STANDARDS

This comes as the DA faces criticism over alleged double standards after its national spokesperson, Karabo Khakhau, was “forced” to withdraw her candidacy from the upcoming federal congress for failing to make a required monthly “tithe” payment.

Khakhau missed the July payment but has since confirmed that she settled the amount in October and no longer owes the party.

Despite this, the outstanding debt led to her disqualification from contesting the position of deputy chairperson of the DA’s federal council.

George, who resigned in January, took to X to criticise the DA’s stance on Khakhau.

“The DA has a very clear credit control policy. If a public representative contribution is not paid within seven days after it is due, action is taken. If Karabo missed a payment, she should have received a letter - if she didn’t, that process failed her. Double standard indeed!”

However, speaking to EWN, the DA’s Federal Council presiding officer, Disiree van der Walt, stressed that Khakhau’s disqualification was a decision made by the Federal Executive and the DA’s Free State branch due to compliance shortcomings.

SALARY TOP-UPS AND FINANCIAL BENEFITS TO SENIOR LEADERS

Brink, the DA’s mayoral candidate in Tshwane, receives an additional R62,386 per month (before tax deductions) from the party.

The organisation's Federal Finance Committee approved the top-up after he was removed as the mayor of Tshwane through a no-confidence vote.

Following his removal, he also lost out on the handsome mayor’s salary. It was because of this that the DA gave him a top-up to maintain his life after losing the mayoral wage.

ASHOR SARUPEN

Sarupen, the deputy finance minister, currently receives an additional R50,000 per month from the DA. This is on top of his earnings as a Cabinet minister.

“He requested an additional payment of R50,000 gross per month, given his role as national campaign manager for elections in 2026,” the leaked document reads.

“The payment was effective from 1 April 2025 and is, in terms of his contract with the Party, effective until Election 2026.”

JOHN STEENHUISEN

Outgoing DA leader and Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen earns handsomely, with his combined party and Cabinet salaries equalling the total wage package of the deputy president.

Steenhuisen enjoys a clothing allowance and receives a “leader stipend”, which between April 2024 and June of the same year stood at almost R60,000.

“In addition to the additional payment, he had access to a party credit card with a limit of R10,000 per month until access was stopped by the Chairperson of Federal Finance in March 2025. Payments could not be reconciled and purchases for which the card was not intended were made.

“Currently, he has a re-imbursive arrangement to a limit of R10,000 per month for party expenditure only,” the document added.

CHRIS PAPPAS

Pappas is the Umgeni Local Municipality Mayor. The document reveals that Pappas requested an additional payment to supplement his “relatively low salary” in the municipality.

The DA pays Pappas an additional R44,609 gross salary per month, on condition that he remains in the municipality as the DA’s mayoral candidate for the upcoming local government elections.

“The payment was effective from 1 October 2025 and, in terms of his contract with the party, effective until Election 2026. Payment is subject to him being available as a mayoral candidate for uMngeni.”

OTHER SENIOR LEADERS

“Mathew Cuthbert is a member of Parliament and the head of policy for the DA. He requested an additional payment of R50,000 gross per month, given his role as head of policy, as set out in the party organogram,” the confidential report reveals.

DA MP Horn, also requested that he be paid an additional R50,000 gross per month to supplement his parliamentary earnings. This is, however, remuneration for his role as the DA’s national campaign manager.

“George Michalakis is a member of Parliament and the Chief Whip of the DA. Had the DA not entered the Government of National Unity; he would have been remunerated as Chief Whip of the Opposition.

“Although he is the Chief Whip of the second largest party, he is remunerated as an ordinary Whip. He requested to be paid an additional amount to earn equal to the Chief Whip of the Opposition. He is paid R9,053 gross per month,” the document adds.

Eyewitness News contacted DA national spokesperson Jan de Villiers for comment, but he declined to respond.

In a text message to Eyewitness News, he said: “Regarding the report currently in circulation, the DA will not be commenting at this stage.”

ALSO READ: Leaked DA report reveals Brink receives over R60k to remain in Tshwane