Employment and Labour Minister, Nomakhosazana Meth, announced that the National Minimum Wage (NMW) for each ordinary hour worked will increase from R27.58 to R28.79. Workers in metropolitan councils, certain local councils as well as in KwaZulu-Natal will earn up to R31.69 an hour. The National Minimum Wage Act was first proclaimed in 2018, setting a historic precedent in the protection of low-earning (vulnerable) workers in South Africa and provided a platform for reducing inequality and huge disparities in income in the national labour market.
The National Minimum Wage was first implemented on 1 January 2019 at a level of R20 per hour. The minimum wage only includes the basic hourly pay for ordinary hours of work, meaning it does not include any additional allowances, bonuses, tips, or payments in kind like transport, food, or accommodation provided by the employer.
In terms of the law, it is an unfair labour practice for an employer to unilaterally alter hours of work or other conditions of employment in implementing the National Minimum Wage. With effect from 1 March 2025 employers shall pay contract cleaning workers at least the minimum hourly wage as detailed in the schedule below:
Any provider that contracts with a contract cleaning company at levels that make it impossible for the contract cleaning company to meet its obligations in terms of the National Minimum Wage or the Basic Conditions of Employment Acts can be held liable in terms of section 200B of the Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995.
These rates are amended annually on 1 March as per Sectorial Determination promulgated by the Minister of Employment and Labour.
For more information relating to the National Minimum Wage contact the National Contract Cleaners Association (NCCA) at: national@ncca.co.za