The vice-chancellor of the University of Johannesburg, Prof Tshilidzi Marwala, has become the latest head in the tertiary sector to pledge 33% of his salary to the Covid-19 Solidarity Fund.

His counterpart from Rhodes University, Sizwe Mabizela, on Monday announced he would be pledging a third of his salary for three months to the fund.

Their pledges follow President Cyril Ramaphosa's call on public office bearers and executives of large companies to take a cut in their salaries to support the government's Covid-19 strategy.

According to UJ's annual report, Marwala earned R4.9m in 2018, including a merit bonus of R1.1m.

In a statement, Marwala said the decision to pledge a third of his salary was “an easy decision to take as the crisis requires leadership and personal sacrifices”.

He said: “The pandemic is, without doubt, a defining global crisis of our time and the greatest challenge we have faced in a long time. South Africa, like many other countries globally, has been left with no option but to impose drastic measures such as large-scale quarantines, travel restrictions and complete lockdowns.”

He said for the virus to ultimately abate and pass, and for the situation to improve, leadership and personal sacrifices were required.

“It is in this context that I pledge a third of my salary to the Covid-19 relief fund,” he said.