{"id":95342,"date":"2026-02-05T11:10:58","date_gmt":"2026-02-05T11:10:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/south-africa\/all-news\/minimum-wage-rises-to-r30-23-an-hour-from-1-march"},"modified":"2026-02-05T11:29:37","modified_gmt":"2026-02-05T11:29:37","slug":"minimum-wage-rises-to-r30-23-an-hour-from-1-march","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/south-africa\/all-news\/minimum-wage-rises-to-r30-23-an-hour-from-1-march","title":{"rendered":"Minimum wage rises to R30.23 an hour from 1 March"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – South-Africa. <\/strong><\/span>When the sun rises on 1 March 2026, millions of South African workers will officially earn more per hour.<\/p>\n

The national minimum wage will increase to R30.23 an hour, a move the government says is aimed at shielding low-paid workers from inflation while avoiding job losses.<\/p>\n

The Deputy Director-General at the Department of Employment and Labour, Thembikosi Mkalipi, says the adjustment follows the annual review process required by law.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe National Minimum Wage Act requires that the commission reviews the wage every year and makes sure that it is not eroded by inflation,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Balancing wages and jobs<\/b><\/p>\n

Mkalipi says the National Minimum Wage Commission must strike a delicate balance between raising wages meaningfully without pushing employers to cut jobs.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t want increases that are too high that would create unemployment. At the same time, you don\u2019t want low increases that would be meaningless to vulnerable workers.\u201d<\/p>\n

He says research commissioned by the Department and conducted by the University of Cape Town shows that previous increases have not reduced employment.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe effect of the minimum wage on employment is not negative. We\u2019re not saying it increases employment, but we are saying it does not reduce employment.\u201d<\/p>\n

What the increase means in rands and cents<\/b><\/p>\n

At R30.23 an hour, a worker employed for nine hours a day would earn about R272 for that shift.<\/p>\n

Someone working once a week for nine hours would earn roughly R1,260 a month. A full-time worker could earn close to R5,700 a month, depending on hours worked.<\/p>\n

The increase is particularly significant for domestic workers, farm workers and other low-paid employees, many of whom struggle to cover food, transport and school fees.<\/p>\n

Compliance remains a major hurdle<\/b><\/p>\n

Despite the legal framework, enforcement remains a challenge.<\/p>\n

Mkalipi says compliance currently sits at about 60%, meaning roughly 40% of workers are not being paid the minimum wage.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s the bigger challenge facing the commission and society,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The Department plans a workshop with international experts later in February to explore ways to improve enforcement.<\/p>\n

Domestic work is especially difficult to police. Labour inspectors cannot simply enter private homes, and many workers are not unionised.<\/p>\n

\u201cAn inspector can\u2019t just go into your house. There are security issues. Arrangements must be made,\u201d Mkalipi explained.<\/p>\n

He added that some workers fear reporting non-compliance because they risk losing their jobs while disputes are being resolved.<\/p>\n

Deductions and undocumented workers<\/b><\/p>\n

The law allows limited deductions for accommodation and food in certain sectors, including domestic work, but these are capped.<\/p>\n

On the issue of undocumented migrants, Mkalipi acknowledged that some employers exploit vulnerability.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhether you are documented or undocumented, the minimum wage applies,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

However, undocumented workers are often reluctant to report violations, making enforcement even harder.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, while the new rate offers relief on paper, the government concedes that ensuring compliance depends not only on inspections, but also on employers choosing to follow the law.<\/p>\n

For more detailed information, listen to Mkalipi using the audio player below:<\/p>\n

For More News And Analysis About South-Africa<\/span> Follow Africa-Press<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – South-Africa. When the sun rises on 1 March 2026, millions of South African workers will officially earn more per hour. The national minimum wage will increase to R30.23 an hour, a move the government says is aimed at shielding low-paid workers from inflation while avoiding job losses. The Deputy Director-General at the Department […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":95341,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,5],"tags":[275],"class_list":["post-95342","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-economy","tag-south-africa-2"],"yoast_head":"\nMinimum wage rises to R30.23 an hour from 1 March - South Africa<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"When the sun rises on 1 March 2026, millions of South African workers will officially earn more per hour. 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