The Minister of Employment and Labour has published Government Gazette No. 54075, announcing an increase in the national minimum wage from R28.79 to R30.23 per hour, effective 1 March 2026.
This new rate of R30.23 per hour also applies to farm workers and domestic workers, previously remunerated at R28.79 per hour.
For workers employed on an Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP), the hourly rate will increase from R15.83 to R16.62.
In addition, Schedule 2 of the Gazette prescribes revised minimum rates for workers employed under learnership agreements as contemplated in section 17 of the Skills Development Act, 1998 (Act No. 97 of 1998).
What you need to do
If your company claims the Employment Tax Incentive (ETI), remember to update your ETI Minimum Wage Codes in March to align with the increased wage rates. We recommend creating new ETI Minimum Wage Codes and linking employees to these updated codes.
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