Payroll in South Africa runs in ZAR on a monthly payroll is standard practice, with the bcea regulating payment intervals cycle, with statutory employer contributions and no general statutory 13th-month bonus under the bcea; a 13th cheque is market practice or contractually agreed. Gracemark operates it end-to-end, humans, not tickets.
Currency
ZAR, South African rand
Payroll cycle
Monthly payroll is standard practice, with the BCEA regulating payment intervals
Working week
Ordinary hours are capped at 45 per week, 9 hours a day on a 5-day week; overtime is capped at 10 hours a week and paid at 1.5 times the normal wage or by agreement with equivalent time off
Minimum wage
The National Minimum Wage is ZAR 28.79 per ordinary hour worked, effective 1 March 2025, set nationally with some sectoral determinations differing
13th-month
No general statutory 13th-month bonus under the BCEA; a 13th cheque is market practice or contractually agreed
Employer cost
Employers contribute 1% of remuneration to UIF, plus the 1% Skills Development Levy for qualifying employers and COIDA assessments that vary by industry risk class
Probation
No hard statutory maximum; the LRA Code of Good Practice allows a reasonable probation period, commonly 3 to 6 months
Notice period
BCEA section 37 sets minimum notice of 1 week up to 6 months of service, 2 weeks from 6 months to 1 year and 4 weeks thereafter; retrenchment severance is at least 1 week's remuneration per completed year of service
Two ways to run payroll in South Africa
Own-entity payroll
For long-term presence in South Africa. Gracemark manages statutory filings, pay runs, and year-end reporting under your entity, with a named operator on Southern Africa time.
EOR-run payroll
No entity in South Africa? Employ and pay talent under Gracemark's local infrastructure via EOR, onboard in 1–2 weeks (eor), no local incorporation.
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