By Helena Wasserman.
The national minimum wage, including for domestic and farm workers, has been hiked by 8.5% to R27.58 an hour, effective from March 1, 2024.
This is more than three percentage points above the latest annual consumer price inflation rate, which reached 5.1% in December.
For those who work eight hours a day for 20 days a month, the new minimum wage equals a monthly payment of around R4 413.
Workers employed on an expanded public works programme are entitled to a minimum wage of R15.16 per hour.
The national minimum wage came into effect in 2019 at R20 per hour, while for domestic workers it was R15 and for farm workers R18.
Since then, their wages have been being equalised with the national minimum wage.
In a statement, Cosatu said the above-inflation hike would provide relief to more than six million workers.
“Workers in the agricultural, domestic, construction, retail, hospitality, transport, security, and cleaning sectors will benefit the most.”