Is "Basic employment cost" the same as "Gross salary"?

It would depend on the employer and what they are offering, can you give me an example of what you are referring to specifically?

In the contract they state that the Basic Employment Cost is R27054.00. After which they outline the pension contribution rate and medical aid, but they do not mention the Basic Salary.

Your basic salary in this case is often the amount before "benefits" such as medical and retirement which becomes your gross salary.