23-05-2025
Over R40 million per year spent on salaries for 24 arts and culture CEOs
The highest arts and culture earners were the CEOs of the Playhouse Company and the National Film and Video Foundation.
The department of sports, arts and culture (DSAC) has released details of the remuneration packages of its executives.
The information was shared via a written response to a parliamentary question submitted this month. It lists the salaries and perks of almost 30 CEOs of department agencies and heritage organisations.
All the salaries are in line with levels 13 to 16 of the department of public service and administration's senior management service model.
R45 million annually for 24 CEOs
The DA's Thamsanqa Mabhena put in many parliamentary questions requesting the salaries of state-run agencies across multiple departments.
DSAC responded with the total remuneration package, allowances, performance bonuses and all benefits of the CEOs of 26 entities – 24 for arts and culture and two for sport – under its umbrella.
'The CEOs/Directors of DSAC public entities are not employed under the Public Service Act with the exception of Pan South African Language Board and Boxing South Africa,' the department clarified.
The remuneration packages of the 24 arts and culture CEOs totalling at least R45 million per year, while two sport's bodies came in at just under R3.5 million per year.
Of the 25, only five were awarded or disclosed the awarding of performance bonuses for either the 2023/24 or 2024/25 financial years.
Arts and culture CEO pay
The disclosed amounts included housing subsidies, medical aid, pension contributions and UIF contributions.
The only two sporting bodies listed were Boxing South Africa and the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport, whose CEOs earn R1.74 million and R1.69 million per year, respectively.
Here is the list of the annual CEO remuneration packages for arts and culture entities under the DSAC:
Playhouse Company: R3.02 million
National Heritage Council: R2.6 million
National Film and Video Foundation: R2.6 million plus a R130 000 performance bonus
National Library of South Africa: R2.5 million
South African State Theatre in Pretoria: R2.42 million
Freedom Park at Salvokop in Pretoria: R2.32 million
Artscape theatre in Cape Town: R2.3 Million
South African Heritage Resources Agency: R2.01 million
War Museum of the Boer Republics in Bloemfontein: R1.9 million
Performing Arts Centre of the Free State in Bloemfontein: R1.89 million
Pan South African Language Board: R1.89 million
Afrikaanse Taal Museum and monument in Paarl: R1.77 million plus two performance bonuses of just under R40 000
National Arts Council: R1.76 million plus two performance bonuses totalling R247 000
National Museum in Bloemfontein: R1.69 million
Mandela Bay Theatre complex, formerly the Port Elizabeth Opera House: R1.65 million
Market Theatre Foundation: R1.63 million plus two performance bonuses totalling R229 000
Ditsong Museums of South Africa, which includes eight historical sites, including the National museums of natural and military history: R1.56 million
The Nelson Mandela Museum, Mandela house in Vilakazi Street: R1.56 million
National Library for the Blind: R1.49 million plus one performance bonus of R149 000
William Humphreys Art gallery in Kimberley: R1.43 million
Luthuli Museum outside Charlottedale: R1.38 million
Amazwi South African Museum of Literature in Grahamstown: R1.42 million per year
KZN Museum in Pietermaritxburg: R970 000 per year plus R536 000 in undisclosed perks
uMsunduzi – Voortrekker Museum in Pietermaritzburg: R878 000 salary per year and R207 000 annual travel allowance
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