South Africa’s public service uses 16 salary levels, from Level 1 for entry roles like cleaners and general workers up to Level 16 for a Director-General. Each level has a range of notches, and you move up one notch a year for good performance. Levels 1 to 12 rose by 4% from 1 April 2026 under the latest cost of living adjustment, and the Senior Management Service scales were adjusted through a separate determination. As a guide, Level 8 starts at R413 001 per year after the increase.
Quick facts: government salary levels
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Number of levels | 16 (Level 1 to Level 16) |
| 2026 increase | 4%, effective 1 April 2026 (Levels 1 to 12) |
| Levels 1 to 12 set by | PSCBC (bargaining council) |
| Levels 13 to 16 (SMS) set by | Separate determination by the Minister for Public Service and Administration |
| Payroll system | PERSAL |
| Progression | One notch per year after 12 months of satisfactory performance |
| Source | DPSA Circular 15 of 2026, Appendix A (full notch tables) |
How government salary levels work
Every permanent and most contract posts in national and provincial government fall on a salary level from 1 to 16. The higher the level, the more senior the post and the higher the pay. When a vacancy advert says “Salary Level 8” or “R413 001 per annum”, that tells you where the post sits in the structure.
Municipalities and state-owned entities usually use their own pay scales, so this structure applies to national and provincial government specifically.
What are notches?
Each salary level is a range, not a single figure, and the steps within it are called notches. When you are appointed, you start on the minimum notch of your level. After 12 months of continuous service, if your performance assessment is satisfactory or better, you move up one notch. Once you reach the top notch of your level, your pay stays there until you are promoted to the next level.
This is why two people on the same level can earn different amounts: the one with more years of good service sits on a higher notch.
Government salary levels 1 to 12: the 2026 pay scale
The public service salary scale for Levels 1 to 12, effective 1 April 2026, with the 4% increase already included. Each level shows the entry notch, where you start, and the top notch, where you finish after years of progression. The monthly column is the entry notch divided by 12, to give you a sense of the pay before allowances and deductions.
| Salary level | Entry notch (per year) | Top notch (per year) | Entry (per month) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | R134 910 | R143 190 | R11 242 |
| Level 2 | R144 024 | R169 656 | R12 002 |
| Level 3 | R170 226 | R200 523 | R14 186 |
| Level 4 | R201 093 | R236 877 | R16 758 |
| Level 5 | R237 453 | R279 708 | R19 788 |
| Level 6 | R280 278 | R330 162 | R23 356 |
| Level 7 | R338 106 | R398 277 | R28 176 |
| Level 8 | R413 001 | R486 501 | R34 417 |
| Level 9 | R487 197 | R584 370 | R40 600 |
| Level 10 | R605 742 | R713 535 | R50 478 |
| Level 11 | R932 292 | R1 098 195 | R77 691 |
| Level 12 | R1 101 468 | R1 297 476 | R91 789 |
These are basic annual salary notches for Levels 1 to 10, and the state adds a pension contribution, a medical scheme subsidy and, for eligible employees, a housing allowance on top. Levels 11 and 12 fall into the Middle Management Service and are paid as a total package, which you structure between cash and benefits, so no separate housing allowance applies there. To see what a notch leaves you with after PAYE, use the take-home pay calculator.
What roles sit at each level
Salary levels are assigned to posts based on the job’s grade and responsibility. As a rough guide to the shape of the structure:
| Level band | Typical roles |
|---|---|
| 1 to 2 | Cleaners, general workers, messengers |
| 3 to 5 | Admin clerks, drivers, security officers |
| 6 to 8 | Senior admin officers, practitioners |
| 9 to 10 | Assistant directors, senior practitioners |
| 11 to 12 | Deputy directors |
| 13 to 16 (SMS) | Directors up to Directors-General |
The exact role at each level varies by department, so treat this as orientation rather than a fixed rule.
Salary level 8 government salary
Level 8 covers a large share of mid-level government posts, from senior administrative officers to many practitioner roles. For 2025/26 it started at R397 116 per year at the entry notch, and with the 4% increase from 1 April 2026 that rises to R413 001 per year, before allowances. A Level 8 employee at the top notch reaches R486 501 per year. Your exact pay depends on which notch you sit on.
Senior Management Service (levels 13 to 16)
Levels 13 to 16 make up the Senior Management Service (SMS). Pay here is quoted as a total cost-to-employer package rather than a basic salary, and the package is structured between a basic portion and a flexible portion the member allocates to benefits. SMS scales are set through a separate determination rather than through the bargaining council.
A Director (Level 13) package starts at about R1 371 558, and a Deputy Director-General (Level 15) package starts at about R1 792 956. Chief Director (Level 14) packages sit between those two bands, and Director-General (Level 16) packages sit above them; both are set out in the SMS determination, and your department’s HR office can confirm the current figures for a specific post.
All SMS posts require the Senior Management Pre-entry Programme from the National School of Government before you can be appointed.
Occupation Specific Dispensations (OSDs)
Some professions do not sit on the standard levels. Nurses, doctors, social workers, educators and legally qualified staff are paid on Occupation Specific Dispensations (OSDs) instead. OSDs use the same DPSA framework but have their own pay bands and progression rules, and they also received the 4% adjustment from 1 April 2026. If you are looking for one of those, see the nurse salary scale.
Allowances and benefits on top of your level
Your salary level is only the basic pay. On top of it, public servants receive:
- A Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) contribution from the state
- Access to the Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS) with a state contribution
- A monthly housing allowance for employees on Levels 1 to 10 who own their home, currently R1 900 per month and adjusted annually for inflation
If you are on Levels 1 to 10 and do not own a home, the housing allowance is not lost. It is diverted into a savings facility under the Government Employees Housing Scheme, which you can access when you buy. The allowance is not paid automatically; apply through your department’s human resources office.
Employees on Levels 11 to 16 are on total package salaries and do not receive a separate housing allowance, though they can still use the scheme’s other services such as housing loans and enrolment support.
How the PERSAL salary scale is applied
Government salaries are processed on PERSAL, the public service payroll system. When an increase like the 4% for 2026 is approved, PERSAL applies it programmatically to every notch. If your increase has not reflected, raise it with your department’s human resources office.
For the detail on this year’s rise, see our guide to the government salary increase, and check your net figure with our take-home pay calculator.
How we worked this out
The Level 1 to 12 figures are taken directly from Appendix A to DPSA Circular 15 of 2026, the translation key for Public Service Act appointees not covered by Occupation Specific Dispensations, PERSAL tables 264 and 265, effective 1 April 2026. That circular applied the 4% cost of living adjustment for the 2026/2027 financial year under PSCBC Resolution 1 of 2025, which covers Levels 1 to 12. The Senior Management Service package figures for Levels 13 to 16 come from the separate SMS determination. The housing allowance rules come from PSCBC Resolution 7 of 2015 and the DPSA’s annual adjustment circulars, with the homeowner amount of R1 900 per month effective from 1 April 2025 and adjusted each year for inflation. Figures are full-time annual salary notches and exclude allowances such as housing, rural and scarce-skills allowances, which are paid on top where they apply. Confirm your own placement with your department’s HR office.
Frequently asked questions
How many government salary levels are there in South Africa? There are 16 levels, from Level 1 for entry roles to Level 16 for a Director-General. Levels 13 to 16 form the Senior Management Service.
What does the lowest level, Level 1, pay? From 1 April 2026, Level 1 pays between R134 910 and R143 190 per year, which is roughly R11 242 per month at the entry notch before benefits and deductions.
How much does salary level 8 pay in 2026? R413 001 per year at the entry notch after the 4% April 2026 increase, before allowances, rising to R486 501 at the top notch. Your exact pay depends on your notch.
What is a notch? A notch is a salary step within a level. You start on the minimum notch and move up one notch a year, after 12 months of satisfactory performance, until you reach the top of your level.
Who sets government salary levels? Levels 1 to 12 are negotiated through the PSCBC bargaining council. Levels 13 to 16 are set through a separate SMS determination by the Minister for Public Service and Administration. The DPSA gazettes the scales through annual circulars.
Are nurses and teachers on these levels? No. Nurses, doctors, social workers and educators are paid on Occupation Specific Dispensations (OSDs), which use the same framework but have their own pay bands.
Who qualifies for the housing allowance? Employees on Levels 1 to 10. Homeowners receive it monthly, and non-homeowners have it saved for them under the Government Employees Housing Scheme until they buy. Levels 11 to 16 are on total packages and do not receive it separately.
Do government salary levels include allowances? No. The level is your basic pay. Pension, medical scheme and housing contributions are added on top for Levels 1 to 10, while Levels 11 to 16 are paid as total packages.
