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Overtime, Sundays, public holidays — priced correctly.

One ordinary hourly rate in. The minimum BCEA rates for overtime, Sunday work and public holidays out — each with the section of the Act it comes from.

BCEA Pay Rules

What must the hour actually pay?

Enter an ordinary hourly rate and get the minimum overtime, Sunday and public-holiday rates under the Basic Conditions of Employment Act — with the rule behind each number.

Ordinary hourly rate

National minimum wage reference: R30.23/hour.

Sundays are part of the normal rosterChanges the Sunday minimum from 2× to 1.5× (BCEA s 16).

WorkWhen the work happens	Multiplier	Min/hrMin. hourly
Ordinary hoursUp to 45 ordinary hours per week (BCEA s 9).	1×	R28,79
Up to 45 ordinary hours per week (BCEA s 9).
OvertimeAt least 1.5× the ordinary wage; overtime is voluntary by agreement and capped at 10 hours per week (BCEA s 10).	1.5×	R43,19
At least 1.5× the ordinary wage; overtime is voluntary by agreement and capped at 10 hours per week (BCEA s 10).
Sunday (not normally worked)2× the ordinary wage where Sunday work is not part of the normal roster (BCEA s 16).	2×	R57,58
2× the ordinary wage where Sunday work is not part of the normal roster (BCEA s 16).
Public holiday (worked)At least double the ordinary daily wage if the employee works; an ordinary day's pay if the holiday falls on a working day and the employee doesn't work (BCEA s 18).	2×	R57,58
At least double the ordinary daily wage if the employee works; an ordinary day's pay if the holiday falls on a working day and the employee doesn't work (BCEA s 18).

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Getting the multipliers right is the easy part. Applying them across rosters, bargaining councils and sectoral determinations — every week, audit-ready — is what our payroll carries for clients.

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Rates as at 2026-03. Guidance only — not legal or financial advice. Sectoral determinations and bargaining-council agreements can set different terms; night-work and averaging agreements have their own rules. Confirm figures that matter with your advisor.

Common questions.

What is the overtime rate in South Africa?

Under section 10 of the BCEA, overtime must be paid at no less than 1.5 times the ordinary wage. Overtime is by agreement, capped at 10 hours per week, on top of a maximum of 45 ordinary hours per week. Sectoral determinations and bargaining-council agreements can set different terms.

What must I pay for work on a Sunday?

Under section 16 of the BCEA, work on a Sunday is paid at double the ordinary wage — unless the employee ordinarily works Sundays as part of the normal roster, in which case the minimum is 1.5 times the ordinary wage.

What must I pay on a public holiday?

Under section 18 of the BCEA, an employee who works on a public holiday must be paid at least double the ordinary daily wage. If the public holiday falls on a day the employee would ordinarily work and they don't work, they receive an ordinary day's pay.