What Amount of Your Salary Is PAYE?

By Trev Gami •  Updated: 01/23/24 •  4 min read

According to the Income Tax Act, all employees who earn taxable income must pay a tax known as Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE). The employer deducts this tax from the worker’s remuneration and pays it to the South Africa Revenue Service (SARS). The employer pays a net salary after deducting PAYE from the gross amount earned by the employee. However, there are certain aspects of the worker’s earnings that are subject to tax at certain rates. Other sources of income are exempt from tax. 

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The determination of tax liability, particularly PAYE, differs due to different factors. Therefore, the Income Tax rate is not fixed or universal. This article explains some basic concepts of PAYE as they apply to employees in various sectors. 

What Amount of Your Salary Is PAYE?

Workers in South Africa are liable to pay PAYE if they earn money above the tax threshold shown below.

Tax Threshold 2024

The above tax thresholds are based on cumulative income earned per year by workers belonging to different age groups. 

In some cases, you will not pay tax if your taxable income falls below a certain level, depending on your age group. One crucial aspect you should know about PAYE is that when you earn higher taxable income, it means you will pay more tax to SARS. 

How Is PAYE Tax Calculated on Salary?

Tax Threshold 2024

The SARS table below is used to determine your tax.

Tax Table 2024

Taxable income (R) Rate of Tax

1-237 000 18% of taxable income

237 101-370 500 42 678 + 26% of taxable income above 237 100

370 501 – 512 800 77 362 + 31% of taxable income above 370 500

512 801 – 673 000 121 475 + 36% of taxable income above 512 800

673 001 – 857 900 179 147 + 39% of taxable income above 673 000

857 901 – 1 817 000 251 258 + 41% of taxable income above 857 900

1 817 001 and above 644 489 + 45% of taxable income above 1 817 000

Tax Rebates 2024 

Primary (Below 65 years) R17 235

Secondary (65 years & older& R9 444

Tertiary (75 years & older R3145

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Assuming that you earn a regular salary of R10 000 per month in 2024, you can calculate your PAYE by following the steps below. 

When the employer pays contributions like medical aid, retirement annuity, or pension fund on behalf of the employee, they must deduct these expenses from the worker’s earnings when calculating PAYE. 

Is PAYE Calculated on Gross or Net Salary?

PAYE is calculated from your gross salary, which includes salaries, allowances, bonuses, and benefits paid before deductions of tax. Income tax is calculated every month, and the employer pays it to SARS monthly. If you earn per week, your PAYE will be calculated using the formula above to determine the annual amount using the SARS tables. 

What Is the Minimum Wage for PAYE?

The minimum wage for PAYE in South Africa is determined by the tax threshold below. 

Tax Threshold 2024

Your employer is supposed to deduct tax every month when you earn a taxable salary or commission. The amount you earn is taxed according to the benefits and other sources of income you have. 

All employees who earn taxable income in South Africa are supposed to pay income tax also known as PAYE. As long as your annual income exceeds the threshold determined by SARS, you are liable to pay tax. The employer deducts the tax from the amount earned by an employee and pays it to SARS every month. PAYE is calculated using the tables provided by SARS every year, but this can be confusing at times. If you’re uncertain about how to calculate SARS, it is a good idea to enlist the services of a tax professional to handle that task for you. 

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