In South Africa, published figures put pay for at R 13,505–R 43,127 a month.

Name: South Africa
Creator: Journalist.net

Published rates R 13,505–R 43,127 a month3 figures

Sources 1 document3 figures from 1 body

Journalist in South Africa, every figure → 7 published sources · 20 figures · updated 1 Nov 2026

Pay rates for journalists in South Africa, as published by unions, governments and surveys, each quoted as printed and turned into a day's pay to compare. How the pay guide works →

Each published rate as a day's pay

On staff · 3 figures

R 13,505–R 23,952 a month R 13,505–R 43,127 a month

Freelance · 6 figures

R 30.23 an hour R 1,000–R 1,500 an hour

US$ a day at the ECB rate for the month. A month is 12 payments over 260 working days, or 13 or 14 where the agreement says so; a year is 260 days; a shift counts as a day.

Type of work	What	As printed	US$ a day	Source
On staff	Monthly net at the start of the job	R 13,505–R 23,952 a month	$52.31	WageIndicator · Crowdsourced list
On staff	Monthly after 5 years’ service, 45-hour week	R 19,072–R 32,999 a month	$72.72	WageIndicator · Crowdsourced list
On staff	Monthly salary range for most journalists	R 13,505–R 43,127 a month	$79.09	WageIndicator · Crowdsourced list
Freelance	National minimum wage per ordinary hour (from R28.79)	R 30.23 an hour	$14.63	DEL · Statutory minimum · 1 Mar 2026
Freelance	Post-production and video editing, most frequently cited hourly rate	R 300–R 400 an hour	$169.46	SAFREA · Survey
Freelance	General non-fiction writing, most frequently cited hourly rate	R 400–R 500 an hour	$217.88	SAFREA · Survey
Freelance	Hourly editing rate, average (range R112.50–R850, n=178)	R 470 an hour	$227.56	PEG · Survey · 3 Apr 2025
Freelance	Editorial/advertorial photography, most frequently cited hourly rate (weighted average R600–R700)	R 1,000 an hour	$484.18	SAFREA · Survey
Freelance	Videography with professional sound and lighting, no edit, most frequently cited hourly rate	R 1,000–R 1,500 an hour	$605.23	SAFREA · Survey

Journalism in South Africa

Leading news outlets

City PressIts journalists on journalist.net IOLIts journalists on journalist.net Daily MaverickIts journalists on journalist.net Highway MailIts journalists on journalist.net EWNIts journalists on journalist.net TimesLIVEIts journalists on journalist.net eNCAnewsenca.com The South Africanthesouthafrican.com MoneywebIts journalists on journalist.net SA Rugbymagsarugbymag.co.za Sunday Worldsundayworld.co.za Brieflybriefly.co.za

The highest-ranked news sites based in South Africa in EventRegistry's news-source ranking, most important first. Updated monthly.

Press freedom

21 / 180 Satisfactory

In the 2026 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), South Africa ranks 21 of 180, with a score of 78.0 out of 100. Up 6 places on the year before.

RSF World Press Freedom Index ↗

By job type

WageIndicator · Monthly salary range for most journalistsR 13,505–R 43,127 Month

WageIndicator · Monthly net at the start of the jobR 13,505–R 23,952 Month

WageIndicator · Monthly after 5 years’ service, 45-hour weekR 19,072–R 32,999 Month

Journalist in South Africa, every figure →

PEG · Copywriting, average per word (n=15)R 2.43 Word

SAFREA · General non-fiction writing, most frequently cited rate per wordR 1–R 2 Word

SAFREA · General non-fiction writing, weighted average per wordR 3–R 4 Word

SAFREA · General non-fiction writing, most frequently cited hourly rateR 400–R 500 Hour

Feature writer in South Africa, every figure →

PEG · Magazine/newspaper articles, light edit, average per word (n=11)R 0.34 Word

PEG · Magazine/newspaper articles, medium edit, average per word (n=17)R 0.63 Word

PEG · Web content, medium edit, average per word (n=10)R 0.55 Word

SAFREA · Copyediting/subediting, most frequently cited rate per word (weighted average R0.50–R0.75)R 0.25–R 0.50 Word

Sub-editor in South Africa, every figure →

PEG · Hourly editing rate, average (range R112.50–R850, n=178)R 470 Hour

PEG · Proofreading, average per word (n=64)R 0.24 Word