Solly Msimanga salary as the opposition leader has not been disclosed, but it may be safe to assume that he receives a large paycheck per month. Solly’s highest academic achievements are his national diploma in marketing management and a BCompt which he obtained from the University of Pretoria.
The African National Congress (ANC) may be in power when it comes to the South African government, but with men like Solly Msimanga, the Democratic Alliance (DA) party has continued to be a very strong opposition. With his good campaign and political leadership strategy, he has played a major role in helping the DA hold political positions, some of which he contested for.
Solly Msimanga has been able to hit major political milestones not just because he is a great campaign strategist, but also because he is very much qualified academically, as well as experienced. And as much as politicians will always want us to feel like we are their major priority while they are vying for office, we still know that they are well paid for the job they do – a remuneration that is mostly well deserved because leadership is no mean feat.
Solly Msimanga’s Salary As The Opposition Leader Of Gauteng Legislature Was Not Disclosed
Solly Msimanga has had what we can call a successful career, despite not being in the leading party. However, his success comes from the fact that when he contests elections, he either wins or gives the eventual winners a run for their money. Currently, he serves in the capacity of opposition leader of the Gauteng legislature.
The Gauteng legislature consists of 73 members of which the ruling party, ANC, has 37 members and the Democratic Alliance (DA), Msimanga’s party, has 20 members – including himself. The remaining sixteen seats are shared by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), The Freedom Front Plus (FF+), Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), and African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP).
The last provincial election which was conducted in May 2019 saw David Makhura of the ANC retaining his position as the Gauteng Premier with the DA maintaining position as the major official opposition. Solly Msimanga, who failed in unseating the incumbent Premier was then elected as the opposition leader and resumed office on the 22nd of May 2019.
The salary Solly Msimanga receives as the opposition leader has not been disclosed, but judging from the salary increase that public officials got in Jacob Zuma’s tenure in 2018 that saw opposition leaders earning a total remuneration of R1,277,625 per year, it may be safe to say that Solly Msimanga receives a large paycheck every month.
The Opposition Leader Has A National Diploma In Marketing
The opposition leader who was born on the 16th of July 1980 at Atteridgeville, Pretoria, had his primary and high school education at Isaac More Primary School, Patogeng Higher Primary, and Saulridge High School. He later went on to further his academic education at the University of Pretoria where he earned a national diploma in Marketing and a BCompt. The Gauteng legislature opposition leader was raised by a single mother who found it difficult to care for all his needs, as such, he had to work as a waiter for Union Caterers to assist with his schooling.
He started his career in the private sector before moving to politics. He worked with Project Literacy and was enlisted at the Liberian Embassy for stage one. He was later on employed to work with the United States Embassy. Before making his entry into politics, he served in various senior management positions, including holding the position of national director for Legal Education And Development.
Solly Msimanga Joined The Democratic Alliance Party (DA) In 2006
After attending an event organized by the Democratic Alliance (DA), Msimanga wrote to the party management, criticizing their campaign strategy. His criticism was given consideration and in no time, he was offered a position in the party. This was how he joined the DA in 2006 and has remained a loyal member of the party to date.
In less than five years of joining the party, Solly Msimanga was already hitting major milestones. In 2011, he was elected to be part of the Tshwane City Council and also rose to the position of the DA’s Gauteng North region leader. By 2014, he was elected as a member of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature.
He has also served in the capacity of spokesperson for Sports, Education, and Economic Development Portfolio Committees in the legislature in his political party. In November 2014, he succeeded Michael Moriarty as the chairman of DA in Gauteng province, a position he held till the 18th of November 2017.
The Gauteng Legislature Opposition Leader Served As Mayor of Tshwane From 2016 to 2019
In preparation for the 2016 municipal elections, Solly Msimanga was announced as the DA’s mayoral candidate for the City of Tshwane, after winning the primaries against Brandon Topham and Bronwyn Engelbrecht. To be in a better position of winning the election, the DA formed a temporary merger with other smaller parties and was also able to win the support of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).
With all of these put in place, the DA came out with the highest number of votes after the election, as Msimanga ran unopposed. He emerged as the Executive Mayor of Tshwane, becoming the first member of the DA to hold the position.
Upon assuming his position as Mayor, Solly Msimanga continued with the BMW 5 Series that he inherited from his predecessor and announced that when it was time to change the car, a cheaper one was going to be used to replace it because he was not going to spend public funds on the purchase of a luxury car.
Before announcing that under his leadership, no luxury car will be purchased or leased, Solly had already banned blue lights, for politicians and other officials, including himself, stating that all government officials should journey through the city like ordinary citizens and when they have to wait in traffic, they should.
He also stopped international travel for politicians and officials, requesting that before any Tshwane politician or official makes an international trip, he or she must submit an application for cost evaluation. He even went as far as putting an end to inaugural events, saying that only politicians benefit from it. Solly Msimanga’s salary as mayor was not also disclosed.
Solly Msimanga Faced Two Votes of No Confidence In His Time As Mayor
In May 2018, it was discovered that Solly Msimanga’s chief of staff’s appointment was unlawful because she lacked relevant qualifications. Following the discovery, Marietha Aucamp was placed on special leave on the 16th of May 2018, and the next day, she resigned.
After two years of serving as Mayor, the African National Congress (ANC) and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) tabled a motion of no confidence against Solly Msimanga in August 2018 with the aim of removing him from the position. But to their dismay, Katlego Mathebe, Tshwane Council Speaker declined the Motion tabled by the EFF, stating that it did not comply with the council’s rule. The EFF made it clear that they would not support ANC’s motion, and as a result of lack of support, ANC had to withdraw.
In September 2018, the ANC went ahead to table another motion of no confidence against Solly. This time, the EFF decided to abstain from voting and Msimanga still came out victorious as 95 councilors voted in his favor while 77 voted against him and 21 decided not to vote.
He Stepped Down From His Position As The Mayor Of Tshwane To Campaign For Gauteng Premiership
In January 2019, Solly Msimanga announced that he would be stepping down from his position as the Mayor of Tshwane to run for the position of Gauteng Premier, and by the 30th of January, be announced that his resignation will be finalized by the 11th of February that year. He was succeeded by Stevens Mokgalapa and sworn in as a member of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature.
Prior to his resignation, Msimanga was already announced as the DA’s candidate for the Gauteng premier election in August 2018. Solly was expected to run against the incumbent premier, David Makhura who was his strongest opponent. And after putting up a good fight, he lost the election, and on the 17th of May, he was elected as the opposition leader of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature.
Although Solly Msimanga’s salary and net worth have never been revealed, he has certainly made a good sum of money from all his political endeavors, and he is someone who does not really show off a flamboyant lifestyle.
