There should be no surprise that Jacob Zuma’s name sits high up on a list detailing the current annual salaries of world leaders – after all, he is South Africa’s dear Number One.

But, even though he is treating the country’s state funds as his own personal bank account, sharing generously with anyone who keeps him at the top, which world leaders surround him and how does he compare?

Despite a pay freeze over the 2016/17 financial year, Zuma, who earns R2,9 million a year, sits just below Germany’s Angela Merkel who earns R3,3 million.

Here’s more, from Business Tech:

Singaporean prime minister Lee Hsien Loong is widely known to command the highest salary of any politician in the world, and this position has not changed.

In April 2017, Singaporean state media revealed that the latest salary increases in the nation will see the country’s 31 ministers and officials earning S$53 million a year (US$38 million).

The politician has taken several pay cuts over the years, but still earns a reported US$1.6 million annually – far more than any other official leader, despite being down from US$1.7 million in 2016.

Singapore’s president, Toby Tan – whose role is a largely ceremonial one, in the same vein as monarchs in European countries – also earns a significant US$1.1 million salary.

Australia’s PM Malcolm Turnbull, had his salary adjusted upwards to AU$527,852 (US$400,832), at the beginning of July, effectively making him the second-highest paid leader, placing ahead of the president of the United States for the first time.

US president Donald Trump draws the same salary as his predecessor, Barack Obama, which is set at US$400,000, but has made good on his campaign promises to donate it to other causes.

Trump has reportedly donated his full first-quarter, pre-tax earnings of US$78,333 to the National Park Service.

Germany’s chancellor Angela Merkel is paid a salary of EUR220,000 (US$250,535), while UK PM, Theresa May, earns a US$194,000 salary.

Check the list:

Zuma really should be sitting low on the list with the rest of the BRICS countries – I mean, even Putin draws a whole million less than him – but how can we expect a change when we’re letting him get away with so much else already?

Damn you, Zuma.

[source:businesstech]