Payinc Net Salary Index,released on Wednesday indicated that the average nominal net salary declined to R21 228 in April 2026 which represents a 0.6% decrease from March. Experts have raised concern that salary earnings are under pressure as inflation rises and salaries decline.
South African salary earners are facing mounting financial pressure as weakening wage growth, rising inflation and economic uncertainty continue to squeeze household finances, according to the latest Payinc Net Salary Index released on Wednesday.
The index showed that the average nominal net salary declined to R21 228 in April 2026, marking a 0.6% decrease from March and a 0.5% decline compared to April 2025.
PayInc said the drop signals a turning point after two years of relatively stable earnings growth during 2024 and 2025, when salaries broadly managed to keep pace with inflation.
Shergeran Naidoo, head of stakeholder engagement at PayInc, said salary earners were now experiencing renewed strain as economic conditions worsened.
