The Minister for Public Service and Administration, Noxolo Kiviet, has announced that non-senior management service (SMS) workers in government will see salaries hiked by 4.7% from 1 April 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The wage hikes apply to non-SMS Members on levels 1-12 in the public service for the year 2024. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Considering the current economic climate and the need for fiscal discipline, the government will implement a 4.7% salary increment for public servants in 2024<\/strong>. This decision aligns with the commitment to affordable and accessible public services while recognizing the hard work and dedication of public servants,” the minister said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In determining the increase, Kiviet said that the government considered “various factors to strike a balance between meeting the needs of public servants and delivering efficient services”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Kiviet urged all public servants to continue delivering high-quality services, emphasizing their essential role in the effective functioning of public institutions and meeting the needs of citizens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “As the government progresses towards professionalizing the public service, it remains dedicated to supporting the professional development of public servants through investment in training and capacity-building initiatives,” the department said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While the wage hike is currently below inflation – with February’s print almost a whole percentage point higher at 5.6% <\/strong><\/a>– it is in line with the average inflation expectation for the year, which economists peg between 4.5% and 4.7%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tabling the 2024\/25 budget in February, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana set aside an additional R251.3 billion to fund the salaries of public servants<\/strong><\/a> this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The public sector went on strike for five months in 2023, demanding higher increases to wages, securing a 7.5% hike for the year ending March 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The 2024\/25 budget did not allocate additional money for wages outside of this agreement, with the minister stating that government departments will have to control their own payrolls to cover increases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Salaries of public service workers are projected to increase to over R820 billion by 2027.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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