Salary of a registered nurse in South Africa varies with education, experience, location among other factors. We take a look at their pay and qualification to be registered nurse.
South Africa is among the few countries in the continent that pay registered nurses fairly well. The working conditions are not as strenuous as, say, Kenya. According to a Kenya Workforce report, Kenyan nurses work overtime at least three times more than their counterparts in South Africa. While this is the sad reality, a nurse in South Africa gets way much more in enumeration than a Kenyan nurse. (Read Also: Salary And Allowances Of A Kenyan Nurse). We take a look at salaries in different groups of nurses registered by the South African Nursing Council (SANC) .
Basic Salary
According to salaryexplorer.com, entry level nurses take home just over R12,000 per month (US$850), translating to R144,000 annually. This amount includes transport, house allowance and other benefits. Experience also determines how much a nurse is paid.
The chart below shows how much the nurses are paid vis-à-vis their experience.
| 0 – 2 Years | = | 10,900 ZAR |
| 2 – 5 Years | +17% | 12,700 ZAR |
| 5 – 10 Years | +7% | 13,600 ZAR |
| 10 – 15 Years | +13% | 15,400 ZAR |
| 15 – 20 Years | +12% | 17,200 ZAR |
| 20+ Years | +5% | 18,100 ZAR |
Pay In Government Compared To The Private Sector
Nurses employed by the government are paid more compared to their counterparts in the private sector. According to figures shared by salaryexplorer, nurses in the payroll of the government receive 14,539 ZAR while those in the private sector take home 11,387 ZAR.
Nurses Pay In Different Specializations
| Job Title | Average Salary |
| LPN Office Nurse | 15,000 ZAR | +17% |
| Mental Health Nurse | 22,083 ZAR | +72% |
| Nurse | 12,867 ZAR | = |
| Nurse Midwife | 15,018 ZAR | +17% |
| Nurse Practitioner | 19,775 ZAR | +54% |
| Nursing Coordinator | 28,850 ZAR | +124% |
| Occupational Therapist | 13,000 ZAR | +1% |
| Staff Nurse | 10,333 ZAR | -20% |
Level of Education
A nurse who holds a certificate or diploma in nursing receives 12,100 ZAR
Bachelors Degree-15,250 ZAR
Masters Degree-16,750 ZAR
Requisite Qualifications of a nurse in South Africa
If you are interested to join this noble profession you will be required to do any of the following:
• a four-year bachelor degree in nursing
• a three-year diploma
• a one-year higher certificate in auxiliary nursing
• one-year postgraduate advanced diploma in nursing and midwifery on top of your degree or diploma.
You will be required to register with the SANC after you have successfully completed one of the above courses.
