01 February 2024 Employment and Labour Minister T.W. Nxesi announced an increase in the National Minimum Wage that took effect on 01 March 2024. The increase brings the National Minimum Wage from R25.42 to R27.58 per hour.
The 8,5% increase applies to all workers including farm workers and domestic workers for each ordinary hour work. However, it excludes the Southa African National Defence Fource, the National Intelligence Agency as well as the South African Secret Service.
The National Minimum Wage first came into effect in 2019 as a means to help resolve the increasing poverty in our country as well as to close the wage inequality.
We urge all employers to review the salaries of all Minimum Wage employees and to start implementing the new wage. Employers are legally obligated to pay workers the minimum wage for remuneration of ordinary hours worked as to avoid violations and fines.