Payslip template for South Africa
Create a payslip for an employee in South Africa that covers the details the Basic Conditions of Employment Act asks for. The South Africa preset pre-fills the usual deduction lines — PAYE, UIF contribution, pension or provident fund and medical aid — plus earnings such as basic salary, overtime and commission, and shows UIF and SDL as employer contributions.
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You type every amount yourself: PayslipKit does not calculate PAYE or UIF, so use the current SARS tables. Add hourly and overtime rates and hours where they apply. Everything runs in your browser and the PDF is created on your device.
Lines pre-filled for South Africa
Rename, remove or add lines as needed. Lines left at zero are hidden once you enter amounts.
Earnings
- Basic salary
- Overtime
- Commission
- Travel allowance
- Bonus / 13th cheque
Employee deductions
- PAYE (employees' tax)
- UIF contribution
- Pension / provident fund contribution
- Medical aid contribution
- Union subscription
- Loan repayment
Employer contributions (information)
- UIF contribution (employer)
- SDL (Skills Development Levy)
- Pension / provident fund (employer)
- Medical aid (employer)
What must a payslip show in South Africa?
Section 33 of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, 1997 requires employers to give each employee written information about their remuneration on every payday, including the employer's name and address, the employee's name and occupation, the pay period, remuneration in money, the amount and purpose of each deduction and the actual amount paid. Section 31 requires these records to be kept for three years from the date of the last entry.
Items the rules require (in short):
- Employer's name
- Employer's address
- Employee's name
- Job title
- Pay period
- Gross pay
- Each deduction itemised with its amount
- Net pay
- Rate of pay
- Overtime hours and pay
- Hours worked
- Amount and purpose of every deduction
- Where relevant to the calculation: ordinary hourly rate and overtime rate, ordinary and overtime hours worked, and hours worked on a Sunday or public holiday
- Where hours are averaged under section 12, the total ordinary and overtime hours in the averaging period
- Given in writing on each payday, at the workplace or a place agreed by the employee
Sources
- Basic Conditions of Employment Act, 1997 — Section 33: Information about remuneration (Acts Online)
- Basic Conditions of Employment Act, 1997 — Section 31: Keeping of records (Acts Online)
- EMP201 completion — Pay As You Earn (SARS)
Reviewed November 2026. General information, not legal or tax advice — rules change, so always check the official source.
FAQ
Is a payslip mandatory in South Africa?
Yes. Section 33 of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act requires employers to give employees written information about their remuneration on each payday, at the workplace or another agreed place.
What must a South African payslip show?
The employer's name and address, the employee's name and occupation, the pay period, remuneration in money, the amount and purpose of each deduction and the actual amount paid. Where relevant, it must also show the hourly and overtime rates and the ordinary, overtime and Sunday or public holiday hours worked.
What deductions appear on a payslip in South Africa?
Typical employee deductions are PAYE (employees' tax), the UIF contribution, pension or provident fund contributions, medical aid and union subscriptions. Employer contributions such as UIF and the Skills Development Levy (SDL) are often shown for information.
How long must payroll records be kept in South Africa?
Section 31 of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act requires employers to keep employee records, including remuneration, for three years from the date of the last entry. Tax law may require longer retention for tax records.