Payslip Components
Income, deductions, company contributions and fringe benefits explained.
The four groups
Every payslip line falls into one of four groups:
- Income — basic salary, overtime, commission, bonus, allowances
- Deductions — PAYE, UIF, pension, medical aid, loans, garnishees
- Company contributions — employer UIF, SDL, employer pension, employer medical aid
- Fringe benefits — company car, low-interest loan, free accommodation
Taxable versus non-taxable
Each item carries a SARS source code and a taxability rule. Reimbursive travel below the prescribed rate and up to the prescribed kilometres, for example, is non-taxable but still reported.
Recurring versus once-off
Recurring items pull into every run automatically until you end them. Once-off items apply to a single period, which is the right choice for bonuses and back-pay.
Order of deductions
Statutory deductions come first, then court-ordered garnishees, then voluntary deductions — and the total is capped so net pay never falls below the legal minimum.