1. (a) The wage bill has increased by 8.1 per cent between 2015/16 and 2016/17 financial years.
Table 1: Consolidated national, provincial and social security funds1
R million |
2015/16 |
2016/172 |
Per cent increase |
Compensation of employees |
427 995.5 |
462 611.2 |
8.1% |
1 Budget Review (2017, pp 214-215)
2 Revised estimate
(b) Wage bill information for the first six months of 2017/18 shows that the wage bill has increased by 7.4 per cent compared to the first half of 2016/17.
Table 2: Consolidated national and provincial government1
R million |
2016/17 |
2017/18 |
Per cent increase |
Compensation of employees: first half |
225,004.1 |
241,701.4 |
7.4% |
1 IYM reports, excludes National Parliament
(c) Wage bill reductions amounting to R25 billion were effected in 2017/18 (R10 billion) and 2018/19 (R15 billion). Assessment of savings for 2017/18 will only be possible at the end of the financial year.
2. Preliminary indications based on 2017/18 first half compensation spend are that government is broadly on track to achieving targeted savings on compensation budgets. A few national and provincial departments are, however, showing signs of excess pressures on their compensation budgets. The National Treasury will continue monitoring implementation of compensation budgets during the current financial year.
3. The share of total budget for 2017/18 allocated to compensation of employees is 33.5 per cent.
Table 3: Consolidated national, provincial and social security funds1
R million |
2017/18 |
Per cent of total budget |
Compensation of employees |
497 094.9 |
33.5% |
1 Budget Review (2017, pp 214-215)