South Africa’s national minimum wage (NMW) has been increased from US$1.36 to US$1.43 per hour starting in March, Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi announced on Wednesday.
Nxesi said the development was in line with the NMW legislation that came into effect in January 2019 at a level of US$1.33 per hour.
According to the labour law governing the minimum wage, no employee should be paid below the minimum wage as a matter of policy.
With this law, “it is illegal and an unfair labour practice for an employer to unilaterally alter hours of work or other conditions of employment in implementing the NMW,” the minister said.
The latest increase does not, however, apply to domestic workers whose payment is lower than the NMW rate at $1.30 per hour – with expectation that wage parity would come into effect next year when the NMW comes under review, Nxesi said.
South African labour law requires the annual review of the national minimum.
NM/jn/APA