Government salary levels in South Africa are categorized according to job levels. Civil servants enjoy more financial benefits such as medical cover, housing and transport, than people working in the private sector.
South Africa spends a significant portion of its revenue on government employees' wages. Therefore, budgeting for public servants' compensation is one of the Department of National Treasury's main challenges. As a result, the government usually tries to cut down the huge wage bill because it slows down economic growth.
Government salary levels in South Africa
The South African government employs skilled and competent public servants. The Department of Service and Public Administration (DPSA) oversees public service quality, approves government salary levels and notches in the public sector, and promotes public servants' well-being.
Since South Africa's DPSA policies outline minimum wages for government employees, the DPSA documents outline standards of government salary levels for public servants. The government salary levels and notches comprise 16 wage bands, with employees in band 1 earning an average salary of R103,562. Below are the South African government salary levels and notches in 2024:
| Salary band/level | The average number of public servants | Average annual salary |
| 1 | 263 | R103 562 |
| 2 | 77 651 | R171 278 |
| 3 | 69 003 | R206 957 |
| 4 | 38 663 | R247 296 |
| 5 | 201 244 | R283 227 |
| 6 | 129 361 | R332 985 |
| 7 | 306 703 | R411 227 |
| 8 | 159 899 | R479 868 |
| 9 | 99 927 | R567 956 |
| 10 | 54 510 | R710 273 |
| 11 | 35 365 | R851 022 |
| 12 | 27 399 | R1 222 246 |
| 13 | 7 660 | R1 147 609 |
| 14 | 2 405 | R1 378 620 |
| 15 | 528 | R1 661 168 |
| 16 | 712 | R2 130 602 |
What was the proposed increase in public servant salaries in 2023?
On 1 April 2023, the government and trade unions in South Africa agreed on a 7.5% Public Sector wage increase through significant trade-offs. The National Treasury estimated the salary agreement would come at an additional cost of R37.4 billion to the public purse throughout the 2023/24 financial period.
Government employees' salary increase agreements (2021 & 2022)
Trade unions in South Africa have pushed for a public servants' salary increase for years. As a result, DPSA and public servants have had several agreements, including the 2021/2022 wage negotiations agreement. They eventually settled on a once-off 1.5% pensionable increase for all employees on salary levels 1 to 12.
The once-off allowance was implemented by 15 September 2021, while the non-pensionable cash allowance for public service wage scales 2020/2021 was effective from 1 April 2021. The implemented non-pensionable cash allowances were:
- Employees in Levels 1 to 5: R1,220 allowance
- Employees in Levels 6 and 7: R1,352 allowance
- Employees in Levels 8 and 9: R1,450 allowance
- Employees in Levels 10 and 11: R1,640 allowance
- Employees in Level 12: R1,695 allowance
Additionally, below were the agreed upon guaranteed and potential monthly gains (based on a 5.8% cost-of-living adjustment) and revised housing allowance and medical subsidy per month for full-time employees on wage levels 1 to 12 (public service act employees):
Guaranteed monthly salary gains
| Salary level | Minimum salary (incl. Pension & Serv. Bonus) | Proposed notch (incl. Pension & Serv. Bonus) | Percentage of guaranteed gain | Monthly gain (before deductions) |
| 1 | R6 856 | R7 254 | 5.8% | R398 |
| 2 | R7 385 | R7 814 | 5.8% | R428 |
| 3 | R8 830 | R9 342 | 5.8% | R 512 |
| 4 | R10 464 | R11 071 | 5.8% | R607 |
| 5 | R12 511 | R13 237 | 5.8% | R726 |
| 6 | R15 023 | R15 895 | 5.8% | R871 |
| 7 | R18 547 | R19 623 | 5.8% | R1 076 |
| 8 | R23 033 | R24 369 | 5.8% | R1 336 |
| 9 | R27 381 | R28 969 | 5.8% | R1 588 |
| 10 | R34 174 | R36 157 | 5.8% | R1 982 |
| 11 | R44 357 | R46 929 | 5.8% | R2 573 |
| 12 | R44 357 | R55 618 | 5.8% | R3 049 |
The potential gain in monthly housing allowance
| Salary level | Minimum allowance | Proposed allowance | Percentage of potential gain | Monthly gain(beforedeductions) |
| 1 | R900 | R1 100 | 22.2% | R200 |
| 2 | R900 | R1 100 | 22.2% | R200 |
| 3 | R900 | R1 100 | 22.2% | R200 |
| 4 | R900 | R1 100 | 22.2% | R200 |
| 5 | R900 | R1 100 | 22.2% | R200 |
| 6 | R900 | R1 100 | 22.2% | R200 |
| 7 | R900 | R1 100 | 22.2% | R200 |
| 8 | R900 | R1 100 | 22.2% | R200 |
| 9 | R900 | R1 100 | 22.2% | R200 |
| 10 | R900 | R1 100 | 22.2% | R200 |
| 11 | — | — | — | — |
| 12 | — | — | — | — |
The potential gain due to pay progression (1.5% per annum)
| Salary level | Percentage of potential gain | Monthly gain (before deductions) |
| 1 | 1.5% | R109 |
| 2 | 1.5% | R117 |
| 3 | 1.5% | R140 |
| 4 | 1.5% | R166 |
| 5 | 1.5% | R199 |
| 6 | 1.5% | R238 |
| 7 | 1.5% | R294 |
| 8 | 1.5% | R366 |
| 9 | 1.5% | R435 |
| 10 | 1.5% | R 542 |
| 11 | 1.5% | R 704 |
| 12 | 1.5% | R 834 |
The potential gain in monthly medical subsidy
| Salary level | Minimum subsidy | Proposedsubsidy | Percentage of potential gain | Monthly gain(beforedeductions) |
| 1 | R2 760 | R3 545 | 28.5% | R785 |
| 2 | R2 760 | R3 545 | 28.5% | R785 |
| 3 | R2 760 | R3 545 | 28.5% | R785 |
| 4 | R2 760 | R3 545 | 28.5% | R785 |
| 5 | R2 760 | R3 545 | 28.5% | R785 |
| 6 | R2 760 | R3 545 | 28.5% | R785 |
| 7 | R2 760 | R3 545 | 28.5% | R785 |
| 8 | R2 760 | R3 545 | 28.5% | R785 |
| 9 | R2 760 | R3 545 | 28.5% | R785 |
| 10 | R2 760 | R3 545 | 28.5% | R785 |
| 11 | — | — | — | — |
| 12 | — | — | — | — |
The overall guaranteed & potential gain
| Salary level | Overall monthly guaranteed and potential gain | Total %increase |
| 1 | R1 492 | 14.2% |
| 2 | R1 531 | 13.9% |
| 3 | R1 637 | 13.1% |
| 4 | R1 758 | 13.1% |
| 5 | R1 909 | 11.8% |
| 6 | R2 095 | 11.2% |
| 7 | R2 355 | 10.6% |
| 8 | R2 686 | 10.1% |
| 9 | R3 007 | 9.7% |
| 10 | R3 509 | 9.3% |
| 11 | R3 277 | 7.4% |
| 12 | R3 883 | 7.4% |
The potential revised monthly remuneration (before deductions)
| Salary level | Potential revised monthly remuneration (before deductions) |
| 1 | R12 007 |
| 2 | R12 576 |
| 3 | R14 127 |
| 4 | R15 882 |
| 5 | R18 080 |
| 6 | R20 778 |
| 7 | R24 562 |
| 8 | R29 379 |
| 9 | R34 048 |
| 10 | R41 344 |
| 11 | R47 633 |
| 12 | R56 452 |
Later, the Minister of Public Service and Administration approved non-pensionable monthly cash allowances for part-time and full-time employees on 1 April 2022, thus coming up with the following DPSA salary levels and notches for 12 salary bands (government wage increase rate):
| Salary level/band | Allowances for full-time employees | Allowances for 6/8 part-time employees | Allowances for 5/8 part-time employees | Allowances for 3/8 part-time employees |
| 1 - 5 | R1 220 | R915 | R763 | R458 |
| 6 - 7 | R1 352 | R1 014 | R845 | R507 |
| 8 - 9 | R1 450 | R1 088 | R906 | R544 |
| 10 - 11 | R1 640 | R1 230 | R1 025 | R615 |
| 12 | R1 695 | R1 271 | R1 059 | R636 |
Cost of living-adjustment
MPSA approved revised salary scales for employees covered and not covered by Occupation Specific Dispensation (OSDs). The 3% wage increase approval was made effective on 1 April 2022. Employees considered in this new wage scale were:
- Public Service Act appointees not covered by OSDs
- OSD for Professional Nurses, Staff Nurses, and Nursing Assistants
- OSD for Legally Qualified Personnel
- OSD for Social Services Professions
- OSD for Engineering Professions and related occupations
- OSD for Medical Officers, Medical Specialists, Dentists, Dental Specialists, Pharmacologists, Pharmacists, and Emergency Care Practitioners
- OSD for Therapeutic, Diagnostic, and other related Allied Health Professionals
- Hourly rates payable to contract employees (persons appointed on a sessional basis) in the identified occupations in the Public Health and Social Development Sectors
Microsoft Excel tables of the cost of living-adjustment government salary levels in South Africa are on the DPSA website. Click on the links on the webpage to download the tables to your device. Take time to review them for better understanding.
What are salary grade levels?
A salary grade scale is a format used to place employees into different pay levels based on their work experience and level of education. Jobs are placed in pay grades to make the classification of employees easy.
What are the financial year salary scales?
A financial year salary scale is a range of annual wages you pay a new hire for a particular job.
What are the average salaries in South Africa?
South Africans are constantly looking for new jobs. They want more job responsibilities, better financial and career development opportunities, and better salary packages. Discover some of the best-paying careers in South Africa from the DPSA salary scales outlined below:
| Sector/ Departments | Average salary for civil workers | Salary growth rate (from 2016-2022) |
| Education Sector | R458 335 | 6% |
| Health Sector | R455 767 | 7% |
| Police Sector | R439 404 | 5.30% |
| Defense Sector | R473 391 | 5.30% |
| Correctional Services | R446 775 | 5% |
| Other | R468 033 | 4% |
What is an average salary level of a South African government employee?
An average South African government employee earns around R8 700 to R38 100 monthly.
How much is a level 12 salary in the government of South Africa?
Level 12 government servants in SA earn around R1.2 million annually.
How much is salary level 11?
Government employees in Level 11 receive an annual wage of R850 000.
What is a level 10 salary in South Africa?
Civil servants in Level 10 earn R710 000 per year.
What is a Grade 8 salary in South Africa?
Level 7 civil servants in SA earn about R411 000 annually.
How much is level 7 salary in South Africa?
Level 7 civil servants in SA earn about R411 000 annually.
What are teachers' government salary levels in South Africa?
The average wage forteachers in South Africa is R458 335 per year (R38 196.25 per month).
Government salary levels in South Africa depict the wide gap between the highest and lowest-paid civil servants. The treasury hopes to gradually increase the minimum salaries of the lowest-paid civil workers to reduce the wage gap between lowest, middle, and highest-paid public servants.
DISCLAIMER: This article is not sponsored by any third party. It is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!
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