R17,915 blow to teachers in South Africa

• The current salary of R17,915 for teachers in South Africa is below the inflation-adjusted level of R383,966 a year, indicating that teachers have not seen a real increase in their purchasing power since 2019.
• The salary adjustment data published by the Department of Basic Education shows that teacher salaries vary considerably depending on qualifications, experience, and seniority, with the lowest paid teachers earning around R169,707 a year and the highest paid teachers earning up to R1.33 million annually.
• Economist Dawie Roodt argues that the central problem with South Africa's public sector is not just the amount spent on salaries, but the value being delivered in return, with state employees accounting for 17% of the economy in salaries despite representing only 3% of the population.