Extra-Budgetary Institutions Lead South African Public Sector Salaries With Monthly Earnings Averaging R56,800

South Africa's EBIs like SARS and RAF pay an average of R56,000 monthly. Compare government sector salaries and see how they stack up against the private sector.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 4, 2026, 6:25 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from BusinessTech

Public Sector Salary Leaders Identified

Fresh data from the Quarterly Employment Survey (QES) has highlighted a specific tier of the South African government that commands the highest compensation packages. Extra-budgetary institutions (EBIs), which operate outside the standard parliamentary framework but provide essential national services, reported an average monthly salary of R56,836 in the fourth quarter of 2025. This figure represents a steady increase from the previous quarter and positions these specialized government workers well above the national non-agricultural formal average of R30,251.

Defining Extra-Budgetary Institutions

EBIs are critical government bodies tasked with specialized administrative and regulatory functions. Key examples include the South African Revenue Service (SARS), the Road Accident Fund (RAF), the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF), and the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA). While these entities are classified as part of the government sector, their distinct operational structures often allow for specialized pay scales that rank them among the top six earning sectors nationwide, alongside technology services and financial intermediaries.

Comparative Analysis of Government Pay Scales

The QES data provides a clear hierarchy of earnings across different levels of the South African public service. While EBIs lead the pack, universities and technikons follow with an average of R42,631. National and provincial departments, which employ the largest volume of state workers, report averages of R41,001 and R38,073, respectively. Local government and TVET colleges round out the list, though even the lowest-earning government sector remains competitive with or above the formal private sector average.