The average monthly salary in South Africa – before and after bonuses

Stats SA has released its latest Stats in Brief report for 2016, revealing what the average monthly salary is for South Africans across eight general sectors – before and after bonuses and overtime are included.

According to Stats SA, the average monthly Salary at the end of 2015 was R17,517 per month, including bonuses and overtime, with the highest earners in the electricity, gas and water supply sector, earning an average of R34,444 per month before and R37,228 per month after bonuses.

The lowest-paying sector was wholesale and retail trade, and general services which paid the lowest average of R11,456 per month before and R11,754 per month after bonuses.

Stats SA’s data covers all people employed by businesses, who received payment (in salaries; wages; commission, in addition to a retainer, salary or wage; piece rates; or payments in kind) for any part of the reference period.

It excludes independent contractors and consultants; working proprietors; sole and joint owners; employees paid on a commission basis where a retainer, salary or wage was not paid; and employees based in South Africa but paid from abroad, e.g. embassy employees.

The table below shows the average salaries in the country at the end of 2015:

Read: How many South Africans earn more than R500,000 a year