The Minister of Employment and Labour published a Government Notice increasing the national minimum wage from R25.42 per hour to R27.58 per hour effective 1 March 2024.

The R27.58 per hour rate also applies to farm workers and domestic workers, an increase from R25.42. While the rate for per hour for workers employed on an expanded public works program is R15,.16 an increase from R13.97.

Additionally, schedule 2 of the Government Notice indicates new rates for workers who have concluded learnership agreements contemplated in section 17 of the Skills Development Act, 1998 (Act No. 97 of 1998).

The changes to the wages should be applied in your March 2024 payroll.  If your company claims Employment Tax Incentive (ETI), remember to update your ETI Minimum Wage Codes in March to align to new wage rates increase.