21/02/2025
On 05 February 2025, the Minister of Employment and Labour, Ms. Nomakhosazana M**h, announced an increase in South Africaโs National Minimum Wage (NMW) from R27.58 to R28.79 per hour, effective 1 March 2025. ๏ฟผ
This 4.4% adjustment applies universally, including to sectors such as farmworkers and domestic workers, who have been aligned with the NMW since 2022. The NMW Act mandates that no employee should earn below this threshold, and any violations may result in fines. Itโs also considered an unfair labour practice for employers to unilaterally change working hours or conditions to circumvent the NMW.
Exceptions include workers in the Expanded Public Works Programme, whose minimum wage will rise from R15.16 to R15.83 per hour. Learnership agreements under the Skills Development Act will have updated allowances, detailed in the latest government gazette and available on the Departmentโs website. ๏ฟผ
The NMW Act covers all workers and employers, excluding members of the South African National Defence Force, the National Intelligence Agency, and the South African Secret Service. Volunteers who do not receive remuneration are also exempt.
Minister M**h emphasized the governmentโs commitment to social protection and fair wages, stating that employers are legally obligated to comply with the NMW to prevent worker exploitation. ๏ฟผ
For more information, including comprehensive tables on sector-specific adjustments, visit the Department of Employment and Labourโs official website.
For a visual overview of the NMW increase, you can watch the following news segment:
The minister of the Department of Employment and Labour has announced an upward adjustment of the National Minimum wage rates for 2025 from R27,58 to R 28,79...