Expand your global workforce in South Africa
Your guide to the employment landscape, working customs and local labor laws in South Africa
Capital
Cape Town, Pretoria, Bloemfontein
Currency
South African Rand (ZAR)
Languages
Afrikaans, English, Xhosa, Zulu, Southern Sotho, Venda, Tswana, Northern Sotho, Tsonga, Swati, Ndebele
GDP per Capita
$6,812.82
Employer Tax
2%
Payroll Frequency
Monthly
Talent overview
South Africa is an upper, middle income economy and is one of the largest economies in the African continent. The country is known for its abundance in natural resources, which has greatly contributed to their GDP. Among the natural products they produce are platinum, gold, titanium, chromium, phosphate, vanadium, iron ore, cobalt, uranium and manganese.
Major economic hubs:
Johannesburg, Cape Town, Ekurhuleni, and Tshwane
Skills in demand:
Software Development, Business Management, Sales, Information Technology, Banking and Financing, Engineering
South Africa
Top local universities in South Africa
University of Cape Town
RANKING
Local: 1
World : 336
University of the Witwatersrand
RANKING
Local: 2
World: 469
University of Pretoria
RANKING
Local: 3
World: 475
Universiteit Stellenbosch
RANKING
Local: 4
World : 503
University of KwaZulu-Natal
RANKING
Local: 5
World: 897
Top Local Job Boards:
careers24, Jobvine, BestJobs, CareerJunction
Number of LinkedIn users:
10,580,000
Top Recruitment Agencies:
Acuity Consultants, Lexdan Select, CA Financial Appointments
Where to find talent
Top Local Job Boards:
Top Local Job Boards
Number of LinkedIn users:
Number of LinkedIn users
Top Recruitment Agencies:
Top Recruitment Agencies:
Salary Data
Some of the jobs in South Africa with annual monthly salary are as follows;
| Job Title | Average Monthly Salary (ZAR) | Average Monthly Salary (USD) |
| Accounting Manager | 46,300 | 2718.94 |
| Software Engineer | 30,800 | 1808.71 |
| Data Analyst | 28,300 | 1661.90 |
| User Experience Designer | 21,400 | 1256.70 |
| Project Manager | 41,000 | 2407.70 |
| Sales Manager | 57,400 | 3370.78 |
Employ in South Africa
Employing in South Africa
Employees in South Africa are protected by the employment legislations set by their government. When onboarding locals in the country, it is important that the employer is knowledgeable of these laws for their employees’ welfare. Below are some of the rules that they must observe for their workforce:
Employee Contract
Due to the diversity in South Africa, employment contracts must be written in a language that both the employer and employee understands. In the event that both parties have differing language preference, a translation must be prepared. This must also be applied in the event of employment proceedings.
Probation Period
In South Africa, probation periods generally last around three months, though the exact timeframe depends on the specific job and terms outlined in the employment contract. There are no strict legal regulations dictating the length of a probationary period—only that it must be “reasonable” given the nature of the role. Ultimately, the employer determines the duration based on what is appropriate for the position.
Public and Provincial Holidays
| Date | Name | Type |
| January 1 | New Year’s Day | National Holiday |
| March 21 | Human Rights Day | National Holiday |
| April 18 | Good Friday | National Holiday |
| April 21 | Family Day | National Holiday |
| April 27 | Freedom Day | National Holiday |
| April 28 | Freedom Day observed | National Holiday |
| May 1 | Workers’ Day | National Holiday |
| June 16 | Youth Day | National Holiday |
| August 9 | National Women’s Day | National Holiday |
| September 24 | Heritage Day | National Holiday |
| December 16 | Day of Reconciliation | National Holiday |
| December 25 | Christmas Day | National Holiday |
| December 26 | Day of Goodwill | National Holiday |
Employee Leaves
| Type of Leave | Time Period | Mandatory |
| Annual Leave | 21 days | Yes |
| Sick Leave | 30 days | Yes |
| Maternity Leave | 4 months | Yes |
Leave Compliance
Payroll in South Africa
Payroll cycle
In South Africa, payroll is released monthly and is usually given every 25th day of the month.
Minimum wage
The minimum wage in South Africa is ZAR 27.58 per hour.
Overtime pay
Employees exceeding the 45 hours of work in a week are paid either 1.5 times the hourly rate or an equivalent amount of time off.
How taxes work
Employer Payroll Tax
| Type of Contribution | Tax Rate |
| Unemployment Insurance | 1% (capped at ZAR 212,544 annually) |
| Skills Development Levy (SDL) | 1% |
Employee Payroll Tax
| Type of Contribution | Tax Rate |
| Unemployment Insurance | 1% (capped at ZAR 212,544 annually) |
Employee Income Tax
| Taxable Income (ZAR, South African Rand) | Tax Rates (ZAR, South African Rand) |
| 0 to 237,000 | 18% of taxable income |
| 237,001 to 370,500 | 40,680 + 26% of taxable income above 237,100 |
| 370,501 to 512,800 | 73,726 + 31% of taxable income above 370,500 |
| 512,801 to 673,000 | 115,762 + 36% of taxable income above 512,800 |
| 673,001 to 857,900 | 170,734 + 39% of taxable income above 673,000 |
| 857,001 to 1,817,000 | 239,452 + 41% of taxable income above 857,900 |
| 1,817,001 and above | 614,192 + 45% of taxable income above 1,817,000 |
VAT
The standard rate for VAT in South Africa is 15%.
Bonus
13th Month Pay
A 13th month pay in South Africa is not mandatory.
Employee Benefits
Below are some of the benefits that South African employees receive upon employment:
- Statutory Leaves
- Unemployment Funds
- Healthcare Insurance
- Retirement Plans and Pension
- Skills development benefits
- Occupational Accidents and Diseases benefits
Employee offboarding
Termination of employment contracts in South Africa may occur for varying reasons. Below are some of them:
- Expiration of employment contract
- Completion of the employment task
- Notification of either parties
- Summary termination due to company breach
- Mutual agreement
- Employer Insolvency
- Employee Misconduct
- Unsatisfactory employee performance
Notice Period in South Africa is up to one month.
Employers must pay their terminated employees a severance pay equal to one week’s worth of salary for every year of completed service.
Visa and
immigration
Foreigners applying for job positions in South Africa must apply for a work visa to legally work in the country. Below are the different types that expats can apply for:
- General work visa
- Critical skills work visa
- Intra-company transfer work visa
- Corporate visa
Your employment toolkit for South Africa
Expand into
150+ countries
Expand globally and hire talent in 150+ countries without having to set up an entity. Use Multiplier's Employer of Record to manage the complete employee experience while having the flexibility to enter new markets.
Overtime Pay
Minimum Wage
Overtime Pay
Visa and Immigration