Salaries

Public Sector Pay Scale 2026 (Salary Levels 1–16)

The Department of Public Service & Administration's 2026 salary scale — what every public servant from a cleaner (Level 1) to a Director-General (Level 16) earns after the April 2026 cost-of-living adjustment.

Updated 12 May 2026 • By Thandi Mokoena • Fact-checked

4.0% pay rise effective 1 April 2026. DPSA Circular No. 15 of 2026 adjusted all public-service salary levels and Occupation Specific Dispensation (OSD) bands.

Salary levels 1–16

Level	Typical role	Annual range	Monthly range
SL 1	Cleaner, general worker	R145,000 – R165,000	R12,100 – R13,750
SL 2	Driver, security, messenger	R170,000 – R196,000	R14,200 – R16,300
SL 3	Clerical assistant	R196,000 – R230,000	R16,300 – R19,200
SL 4	Senior clerical assistant	R230,000 – R269,000	R19,200 – R22,400
SL 5	Senior administration clerk	R269,000 – R308,000	R22,400 – R25,700
SL 6	Personal assistant, technician	R308,000 – R358,000	R25,700 – R29,800
SL 7	Senior administrative officer	R358,000 – R415,000	R29,800 – R34,600
SL 8	Assistant Director, junior professional	R415,000 – R484,000	R34,600 – R40,300
SL 9	Deputy Director, mid-senior professional	R484,000 – R552,000	R40,300 – R46,000
SL 10	Deputy Director (senior)	R552,000 – R651,000	R46,000 – R54,300
SL 11	Director	R651,000 – R767,000	R54,300 – R63,900
SL 12	Director (senior)	R767,000 – R913,000	R63,900 – R76,100
SL 13	Senior Management Service (Director)	R1,075,000 – R1,283,000	R89,600 – R106,900
SL 14	Chief Director	R1,283,000 – R1,539,000	R106,900 – R128,300
SL 15	Deputy Director-General	R1,539,000 – R1,832,000	R128,300 – R152,700
SL 16	Director-General	R1,832,000 – R2,490,000	R152,700 – R207,500

Ranges reflect entry-notch to top-notch of each level. SMS bands (13–16) carry performance-based bonuses on top of basic. Excludes housing, rural and scarce-skills allowances.

Allowances and benefits

13th cheque

One month's salary, paid in the member's birth month.

Housing allowance

R1,990–R2,260/month for home-owning members below SMS bands.

Pension

GEPF defined-benefit pension; 7.5% member, 13% state contribution.

Medical aid subsidy

GEMS or accredited scheme; state pays 60–75% of contribution.

Notch progression

~1.5–3% annual increase on satisfactory performance, on top of any COLA.

Rural / scarce-skills allowance

Sector-specific bonuses for hard-to-fill posts.

Occupation-Specific Dispensations (OSDs)

Several public-sector occupations don't use the standard salary levels above — they have their own dispensation:

Educators

ELRC post levels 1–5. See teacher salary page.

Nurses

OSD for Nursing Personnel — Grades 1–3 plus management. See nurse salary page.

Medical practitioners

OSD for MOs and specialists. See doctor salary page.

Social workers

OSD for social workers — Grades 1–4.

Legally qualified personnel

OSD for state advocates, prosecutors and state attorneys.

SAPS

SAPS OSD — Constable through National Commissioner. See SAPS salary page.

SANDF

Military OSD. See SANDF salary page.

Correctional services

DCS OSD for officers Grade 1–4.

Range, not precise figures

Your exact payslip amount depends on your specific notch (years of service), applicable allowances and any deductions (PAYE, GEPF, medical aid contributions). DPSA Circular No. 15 of 2026 contains the full notch tables — your HR can provide your exact placement.

Frequently asked questions

How are public-sector salaries set in South Africa?+

Through the Public Service Coordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC) for salary levels 1–12, and via Cabinet for Senior Management Service (levels 13–16). The DPSA gazettes the resulting salary schedules through annual circulars. The 4.0% adjustment effective 1 April 2026 was issued under DPSA Circular No. 15 of 2026.

How are levels different from OSDs?+

Standard public servants sit on salary levels 1–16. Certain professions — nurses, doctors, social workers, educators, legally qualified personnel — sit on Occupation-Specific Dispensations (OSDs) instead. OSDs use the same DPSA framework but with their own pay bands and progression rules.

What's a notch?+

Each salary level contains a range of "notches" — small increments. You start at the entry notch, then progress up one notch per year of satisfactory performance. Annual notch progression is typically 1.5–3% and is separate from any cost-of-living adjustment.

What is Senior Management Service (SMS)?+

Salary levels 13–16: Director, Chief Director, Deputy Director-General and Director-General. SMS posts come with performance-based bonuses, larger car allowances and Cabinet-approved appointment processes for the most senior posts.

Do public sector workers pay tax differently?+

No. Same PAYE tables as the private sector. GEPF contributions are tax-deductible (up to 27.5% of remuneration / R350k a year cap).

Sources

· DPSA Circular No. 15 of 2026 — 4.0% cost-of-living adjustment.
· PSCBC Resolution governing public-service salary scales.
· DPSA Senior Management Service Handbook.
· OSD frameworks for nursing, medical, educator, social work, legal and uniformed services.

OSD

SANDF army salaries

OSD

SAPS police salaries

Tool

Salary after tax calculator