On Tuesday this week, March 1, the new National Minimum Wage (NMW) came into effect. The minimum wage is now R23.19 per hour, an increase of 6.9% from last year. Unlike in previous years, no exceptions have been made for domestic workers and farmworkers.
These workers now also get R23.19 an hour. This represents a 21.5% increase.
On February 7, Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi announced that the new remuneration structure for each ordinary hour worked has been increased from R21,69 to R23.19 for the year 2022, with effect from 1 March.
The announcement was in terms of Section 6 (5) of the NMW Act, to amend the NMW contained in Schedules 1 and 2 of the Act, published under Government Notice No. 44136.
Workers employed on an expanded public works programme are entitled to a minimum wage of R12.75 per hour.