Payroll services for small business in South Africa Paid right. Every time.
PAYE, UIF and SDL, EMP201 monthly submissions and EMP501 bi-annual reconciliations, IRP5s and ETI — payroll run properly, so your people get paid correctly and SARS never comes asking.
Payroll that's never late, never wrong
Payroll is unforgiving — get PAYE or UIF wrong and it's your people who feel it first. We run it properly, every cycle.
Monthly payroll
- Payslips & payroll processing
- PAYE, UIF & SDL calculations
- EMP201 monthly submissions
- Leave & benefit administration
Compliance
- EMP501 bi-annual reconciliation
- IRP5 & IT3(a) certificates
- Employment Tax Incentive (ETI) claims
- COIDA & UIF registrations
Growth
- Payroll systems setup & migration
- Multi-entity & multi-province payroll
- Contractor vs employee structuring
- Payroll reporting for management accounts
Structuring share options or equity for staff?
Employee share schemes tied to a raise or a future sale sit with our corporate finance colleagues at Caban Corporate Advisors. One group, seamless handover.
Go to CabanFrequently asked questions
Short, plain answers to what South African business owners ask us most.
What do TBL Accounting's payroll services cover?
Payslips and payroll processing; PAYE, UIF and SDL calculations; monthly EMP201 submissions; EMP501 reconciliations twice a year; IRP5 and IT3(a) certificates; Employment Tax Incentive (ETI) claims; leave and benefit administration; and COIDA and UIF registrations.
What are PAYE, UIF and SDL?
PAYE (Pay-As-You-Earn) is the income tax an employer deducts from employees' pay and pays to SARS. UIF (Unemployment Insurance Fund) is 1% from the employee and 1% from the employer, on earnings up to a monthly ceiling. SDL (Skills Development Levy) is 1% of total pay, paid by the employer; employers with annual pay under R500,000 are exempt. Our 2026 payroll guide has the current figures.
When must PAYE, UIF and SDL be paid to SARS?
The monthly EMP201 declaration and the payment of PAYE, UIF and SDL are due by the 7th of the month following the pay period. The EMP501 reconciliation is submitted twice a year.
Can a small business use TBL Accounting as its payroll company?
Yes. TBL Accounting runs payroll for small teams as well as multi-entity and multi-province businesses, and can move you from another payroll system. Tell us the size of your team and a named accountant will get payroll running properly.
Do you help claim the Employment Tax Incentive (ETI)?
Yes, ETI claims are part of our payroll compliance work. One check matters before you claim: SARS says that if any employee is paid below the national minimum wage, the employer's entire ETI claim for that month is disqualified, not just the claim for that employee. See the payroll guide.
How much do payroll services cost for a small business in South Africa?
Payroll fees usually depend on the number of employees, how often you pay, and extras such as leave and benefit administration or ETI claims. TBL Accounting quotes a fixed monthly fee against a written scope once we know your team size and pay frequency. Book a call and a named accountant will give you the figure.
Do I need a payroll company, or can I run payroll myself?
You can run payroll yourself on payroll software, but the employer stays responsible for correct PAYE, UIF and SDL and for submitting the EMP201 by the 7th. A payroll provider takes over the calculations, submissions and certificates, which matters most when you have no one in-house who knows the rules.
Can you run payroll for my business wherever it is in South Africa?
Yes. Payroll runs on cloud systems, so we work with businesses across South Africa remotely, and have offices in Gauteng, Cape Town and Durban.
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Talk to a real accountant, not a call centre.
Tell us the size of your team and a named, qualified accountant will get payroll running properly — no queue, no junior.
