Trade union federation COSATU has welcomed the latest increase in the National Minimum Wage.
From 1 March 2025, the NMW will see an increase of 4.4%.
This means all workers, including domestic workers and farm workers, will receive an increase of R1.21, bringing the minimum wage to R28.79 per hour. This adjustment translates to a monthly minimum of around R5 600 rand in most sectors, when working 4.3 weeks.
COSATU has called this major progress, considering domestic workers were being paid a meagre R15 per hour (in some cases a low R6), and farmworkers were pegged at R18, before the long-awaited NMW was implemented in 2019.
“Whilst COSATU had tabled a slightly higher proposal to the NMW Commission, we are pleased that our demand for a positive above inflation increase prevailed,” said COSATU’s Matthew Parks.
Parks added that the adjustment would provide much-needed relief.
“This positive increase will help protect the value of the NMW and workers’ ability to take care of their families. It will inject badly needed stimulus into the economy, spurring growth, sustaining and creating badly needed jobs. It will provide relief to 6 million workers earning within the NMW range in particular farm, domestic, construction, retail, transport, hospitality, security, and cleaning workers,” said Parks.
