Net salaries remained unchanged in October - PayInc Net Salary Index

NET salaries remained unchanged in October, according to the PayInc Net Salary Index, which tracks the average nominal net salaries of around 2.

- PHILIPPA LARKIN

1 million South African earners.The index moved sideways during the month but remained higher year-on-year, signalling stronger spending ahead of the year-end shopping period. However, companies continue to face pressure as productivity fails to keep pace, strengthening the case for greater technology adoption.

“The PayInc Net Salary Index held steady at R21 414 in October, maintaining a 1.8% year-on-year increase,” said Shergeran Naidoo, the head of Stakeholder Engagements at PayInc. The upward trend in net salaries continued through 2025, with the average nominal net salary rising 4% in the first ten months, compared to 4.6% in the corresponding period in 2024.