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Employment and Labour Minister Nomakhosazana Meth announced the national minimum wage will rise from R28.79 to R30.23 per hour, effective February 3.
Meth declared that the amendment would become binding on March 1st. An upward movement of R1.44 is expected to benefit all workers, specifically mentioning vulnerable farm and domestic workers.
The minister said workers on the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) are excluded from the standard National Minimum Wage (NMW) increase.
She also revealed that EPWP workers will see their hourly rate rise from R15.16 to R16.62 under a special dispensation.
“Additionally, those under learnership agreements as per section 17 of the Skills Development Act, 1998, are entitled to allowances detailed in Schedule 2, with specific rates available on the departmental website,” Meth added.
South Africa’s National Minimum Wage Act, effective since 2019, legally mandates employers to pay workers a minimum hourly amount. This wage undergoes annual review, and violations are penalised with fines enforced by the inspectorate, the department, and the CCMA.
Mandated minimum wage for employees
The NMW is the legally mandated minimum pay for employees. It cannot be overridden by contract or agreement, and employers illegally altering work conditions to implement it is an unfair labour practice.
Latest NMW adjustments, including rates for the Contract Cleaning Sector’s areas and work categories and for the Wholesale and Retail Sector, are accessible on the Departmental website.
The minister highlighted that the NMW Act covers most workers and employers in South Africa, except the military, intelligence agencies, the secret service, and unpaid volunteers.
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“Minimum wage law excludes allowances, payments in kind, tips, bonuses, and gifts from calculation,” she concluded.
