Overtime pay in South Africa — BCEA rules and calculations
Under the BCEA, overtime is paid at 1.5x the normal wage for weekday overtime, 2x for Sunday and public holiday work. Overtime rules apply to employees earning below the current BCEA threshold of R261,748.45 per year.
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The Payroll Africa editorial team is composed of registered tax practitioners, payroll administrators and BCEA specialists who maintain the SARS PAYE, UIF, SDL and ETI engines that power the platform. Every article is reviewed against the current SARS BRS and Basic Conditions of Employment Act before publication.
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Last updated 30 Sept 2026
BCEA overtime rates
Section 10 caps overtime at 10 hours per week and requires overtime pay unless the employee earns above the annual BCEA threshold.
- Weekday overtime: 1.5 × normal hourly rate
- Sunday work (not ordinary): 2 × normal rate
- Sunday (ordinary work day): 1.5 × normal rate
- Public holiday: 2 × normal rate, or double time if it is not a normal working day
- Night shift (18:00–06:00): allowance or reduced hours
BCEA earnings threshold (2025)
The Minister of Employment and Labour reviews the threshold each year. From 1 April 2025 it is R261,748.45 per year (R21,812.37/month). Employees earning above this are excluded from Sections 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17(2) and 18(3) — including overtime.
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