Full-time councillor pay scales

Annual upper limits of total remuneration packages for full-time councillors, by municipality grade and position, 2025/26 financial year (rand)

Executive Mayor / Mayor

Speaker / Deputy Mayor

Mayoral Committee / Whip

Section 79 Committee Chairperson

South African municipalities are graded 1–6 by CoGTA using a points formula that combines revenue and population. Grade 1 includes small, rural local municipalities. Grade 6 includes the eight metropolitan municipalities.