Blog Details

On 3 February 2026, the Minister of Employment and Labour, Nomakhosazana Meth, published an amendment to the National Minimum Wage Act (No. 9 of 2018). These new rates are scheduled to become legally binding on 1 March 2026.

1. General Minimum Wage Rates

The standard national minimum wage has been adjusted to ensure fair compensation across primary sectors.

Worker CategoryMinimum Rate (per ordinary hour)

• General Workers: R30,23
• Farm Workers: R30,23
• Domestic Workers: R30,23
• Expanded Public Works Programme: R16,62

2. Sectoral Determination Updates

Specific sectors have unique hourly, weekly, and monthly rate structures based on geographic areas.

• Contract Cleaning Sector: * Area A (Metropolitan Councils): R33,27 per hour.
  • Area C (Rest of RSA): R30,33 per hour.
  • Note: KwaZulu-Natal rates (Area B) are determined by their specific Bargaining Council collective agreement.

• Wholesale and Retail Sector: * General Assistants and Security Guards in both Area A and Area B must receive a minimum of R30,23 per hour.
  • Higher-skilled roles such as Managers earn up to R64,66 per hour in Area A and R53,75 per hour in Area B.

3. Learnership Allowances

Minimum weekly allowances for learners vary based on their NQF level and the credits they have already earned.

• NQF Levels 1 & 2: Allowances range from R455.00 (0–120 credits) to R909.94 (121–240 credits).
• NQF Levels 5 to 8: Allowances start at R455.00 and can reach a maximum of R2,654.04 per week for those with over 481 credits.

4. Critical Compliance Note

Under Section 200B of the Labour Relations Act, any provider that contracts with a service company (such as a cleaning firm) at rates that make it impossible for that company to meet minimum wage obligations can be held jointly liable.