National Minimum Wage in South Africa
Minimum wage from 1 March 2026
The National Minimum Wage in South Africa is R30.23 for each ordinary hour worked from 1 March 2026. This is the legal wage floor for workers covered by the National Minimum Wage Act.
From 1 March 2026, the National Minimum Wage in South Africa is R30.23 per ordinary hour worked. Domestic workers and farm workers are covered by the same R30.23 rate. Workers employed through the Expanded Public Works Programme have a separate minimum of R16.62 per hour. Workers on qualifying learnership agreements are paid according to the applicable learnership allowance schedule rather than the general R30.23 rate.
South Africa does not have one fixed national minimum monthly salary. The legal minimum is mainly expressed as an hourly rate.
This matters because two employees can both earn the minimum hourly rate but receive different weekly or monthly wages if they work different numbers of ordinary hours.
What Is the National Minimum Wage?
The National Minimum Wage is the lowest wage that an employer may normally pay a worker for each ordinary hour worked where the National Minimum Wage Act applies.
South Africa introduced the National Minimum Wage in 2019. The rate is reviewed every year and can be adjusted by the Minister of Employment and Labour.
An employer can pay more than the National Minimum Wage. The R30.23 rate does not prevent an employment contract, collective agreement, bargaining council agreement or applicable sector rule from providing a higher wage.
Current South African Minimum Wage Rates
| Worker or programme | Minimum from 1 March 2026 | How the rate works |
|---|---|---|
| General workers | R30.23 per hour | Applies for each ordinary hour worked where the National Minimum Wage Act applies. |
| Domestic workers | R30.23 per hour | Domestic workers are aligned with the general National Minimum Wage. |
| Farm workers | R30.23 per hour | Farm workers are aligned with the general National Minimum Wage. |
| Expanded Public Works Programme | R16.62 per hour | EPWP workers have a separate minimum wage under the special dispensation. |
| Qualifying learnership agreements | Schedule-based allowance | The amount depends on the applicable learnership allowance schedule and is not simply the general R30.23 hourly rate. |
The R16.62 rate is for workers employed under the Expanded Public Works Programme special dispensation. It is not a lower general wage that an ordinary employer can choose to use.
What Does R30.23 Per Hour Mean Per Day, Week or Month?
Because the National Minimum Wage is hourly, monthly earnings depend on the number of ordinary hours actually worked.
Actual pay can change according to ordinary hours worked, the employment agreement, unpaid absences, lawful deductions and any higher wage that applies to the job.
Minimum Wage for Domestic Workers
Domestic workers are covered by the general National Minimum Wage. From 1 March 2026, the minimum is R30.23 for each ordinary hour worked.
This can include workers such as:
- Housekeepers.
- Domestic cleaners.
- Garden workers employed by a private household.
- Household drivers.
- Workers who care for children, elderly people or sick people in a private household.
An employer cannot treat free meals, a room to stay in or tips from other people as part of the R30.23 hourly minimum.
Minimum Wage for Farm Workers
Farm workers are also aligned with the general National Minimum Wage. The minimum from 1 March 2026 is R30.23 per ordinary hour.
There is no separate lower national farm-worker rate for 2026.
EPWP Minimum Wage
Workers employed through the Expanded Public Works Programme have a separate rate.
From 1 March 2026, the EPWP minimum wage is:
This is a special EPWP rate. It should not be confused with the R30.23 general National Minimum Wage.
Minimum Pay for Learnerships
A worker who has entered into a qualifying learnership agreement under section 17 of the Skills Development Act does not simply use the general R30.23 hourly rate.
These learners are entitled to allowances determined in the applicable learnership schedule. The amount can depend on factors such as the National Qualifications Framework level and progress within the learnership.
An employer cannot call an ordinary job a learnership simply to use a different payment rate. The special allowance applies to qualifying learnership agreements.
The Four-Hour Minimum Payment Rule
Where the four-hour rule applies, a worker who works for less than four hours on a day must be paid as if the worker had worked for four hours. At the 2026 National Minimum Wage, four hours equals R120.92.
Example
Suppose a worker reports for work and works for only two ordinary hours.
Two hours at R30.23 would normally equal R60.46. Where the four-hour minimum rule applies, the worker must instead be paid for four hours, which is:
R30.23 × 4 = R120.92
What Can Be Counted Toward the Minimum Wage?
The National Minimum Wage focuses on the remuneration payable for ordinary hours worked. Certain extras cannot be used to make up a shortfall in the minimum hourly wage.
The wage itself
- Cash remuneration paid for ordinary hours worked.
- A higher contractual hourly wage.
- A higher applicable wage set by an agreement or employment condition.
These do not make up the minimum
- Transport allowance.
- Tool allowance.
- Food allowance.
- Accommodation allowance.
- Board or lodging given instead of money.
- Tips.
- Bonuses.
- Gifts.
Example: tips do not fix an underpayment
If a worker receives R25 per ordinary hour from the employer and another R10 per hour in customer tips, the employer cannot simply say the worker earned R35 and therefore reached the National Minimum Wage.
Tips do not replace the employer’s obligation to meet the applicable minimum wage.
Who Is Covered by the National Minimum Wage?
The National Minimum Wage Act has broad application to workers and their employers, subject to specific exclusions and special categories.
The Department of Employment and Labour lists the following outside the ordinary application of the National Minimum Wage:
- Members of the South African National Defence Force.
- Members of the intelligence services identified in the legislation.
- Volunteers who perform work without receiving or being entitled to remuneration.
EPWP workers and qualifying learnerships are dealt with separately through their own rates or allowance arrangements.
The exclusion concerns genuine unpaid volunteer work where the person does not receive and is not entitled to remuneration for the service.
What If Your Contract or Sector Pays More Than R30.23?
The National Minimum Wage is a floor. It does not reduce a worker’s existing entitlement to a more favourable wage.
A worker may be entitled to more than R30.23 because of:
- A written employment contract.
- A collective agreement.
- A bargaining council agreement.
- An applicable sectoral wage arrangement.
- An employer’s established wage rate.
If an employee already has a valid entitlement to a higher wage, the National Minimum Wage should not be treated as permission to lower it to R30.23.
Does R30.23 Include Overtime, Sunday or Public Holiday Pay?
No single overtime or public holiday multiplier should be calculated from the National Minimum Wage alone.
The R30.23 figure is the National Minimum Wage for ordinary hours worked. Overtime, Sunday work and public holiday pay are separate employment conditions.
The applicable payment can depend on the Basic Conditions of Employment Act where its working-time provisions apply, the worker’s earnings level, a bargaining council or collective agreement, and the employment contract.
Check the employment rules that apply to the worker before calculating overtime, Sunday or public holiday pay.
If you need to check which days are statutory holidays, see the South Africa Public Holidays Calendar 2026 .
Can an Employer Reduce Working Hours Because the Minimum Wage Increased?
An employer cannot simply respond to implementation of the National Minimum Wage by unilaterally changing working hours or other employment conditions in order to avoid the wage obligation.
The Department of Employment and Labour describes a unilateral change of hours or other conditions in implementing the National Minimum Wage as an unfair labour practice.
An employer should not simply tell a worker that because the hourly minimum increased, the worker’s agreed hours will immediately be cut without following the employment rules that apply to changing those conditions.
Can an Employer Get an Exemption From the Minimum Wage?
The National Minimum Wage framework allows an employer or an employers’ organisation acting for its members to apply for an exemption.
An exemption is not automatic. The employer must apply through the National Minimum Wage exemption system and provide the information required for the application.
The exemption process can require:
- Financial information.
- Employee wage and working-hour information.
- Consultation with the affected workers or representative union.
- Supporting documents required by the exemption process.
An employer should not simply choose a lower hourly rate because the business says it cannot afford R30.23. A valid exemption must be applied for and granted through the prescribed process.
What to Do If You Are Paid Below the Minimum Wage
If you think your employer is paying less than the applicable minimum, start by checking the hours you worked and the wage shown on your records.
Divide the remuneration for ordinary hours by the ordinary hours worked. Do not use tips or excluded allowances to make the hourly rate appear higher.
Keep payslips, contracts, timesheets, schedules, bank records and messages that show when you worked and what you were paid.
Where practical, ask for an explanation of the wage calculation and keep a record of the response.
Inspection and Enforcement Services handles complaints about compliance with employment laws, including the National Minimum Wage.
The Department of Employment and Labour and the CCMA have enforcement and dispute-resolution functions relating to minimum wage and amounts owed to workers.
The Department of Employment and Labour currently lists 0860 101 018 for Public Employment Services and Inspection and Enforcement Services.
Examples of Minimum Wage Underpayment
The transport allowance does not simply turn a R28 wage into a compliant R32 minimum wage.
Tips cannot be used by the employer to make up the difference between R25 and the applicable National Minimum Wage.
Board or lodging does not replace the minimum cash remuneration required for ordinary hours worked.
The R16.62 rate applies to the Expanded Public Works Programme special dispensation. It is not a general lower minimum wage.
When Will the Minimum Wage Change Again?
The National Minimum Wage is reviewed annually. The current R30.23 rate became binding on 1 March 2026.
A later annual determination can replace it. For that reason, employers and workers should check the current rate when using this guide after a new minimum wage adjustment has taken effect.
The next National Minimum Wage must be based on the official adjustment published for that period.
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National Minimum Wage Questions
What is the minimum wage in South Africa in 2026?
The National Minimum Wage is R30.23 for each ordinary hour worked from 1 March 2026.
What was the previous minimum wage?
The general National Minimum Wage was R28.79 per hour before the 2026 adjustment to R30.23.
What is the minimum wage per day?
There is no single daily minimum because it depends on ordinary hours worked. At R30.23 per hour, eight ordinary hours equal R241.84.
What is the minimum wage per month?
There is no single statutory monthly figure. A 40-hour ordinary working week gives an illustrative monthly average of about R5,239.87 at the R30.23 hourly rate. Actual pay depends on the worker’s ordinary hours and employment arrangements.
What is the minimum wage for domestic workers?
Domestic workers are entitled to the general National Minimum Wage of R30.23 per ordinary hour from 1 March 2026.
What is the minimum wage for farm workers?
Farm workers are also covered by the R30.23 general National Minimum Wage from 1 March 2026.
What is the EPWP minimum wage in 2026?
Workers employed through the Expanded Public Works Programme have a separate minimum of R16.62 per hour from 1 March 2026.
Does a learner have to be paid R30.23 per hour?
A worker under a qualifying learnership agreement can be covered by the prescribed learnership allowance schedule instead of the general hourly rate.
Can tips be included in the minimum wage?
No. Tips are not counted as part of the National Minimum Wage that the employer must pay for ordinary hours worked.
Can accommodation be used as part of the minimum wage?
Board or lodging does not replace the minimum remuneration required for ordinary hours under the National Minimum Wage.
If I work only two hours, can I be paid for two hours?
Where the four-hour minimum payment rule applies, a worker who works less than four hours on a day must be paid for four hours. At R30.23 per hour, four hours equals R120.92.
Is R30.23 the overtime rate?
No. R30.23 is the National Minimum Wage for ordinary hours. Overtime pay depends on the employment rules, agreement and legal provisions that apply to the worker.
Can my employer pay less because I receive free meals?
Free meals do not simply allow an employer to pay less than the applicable National Minimum Wage for ordinary hours.
Can an employer reduce my hours because the minimum wage increased?
The Department of Employment and Labour states that an employer may not unilaterally alter working hours or other conditions of employment in implementing the National Minimum Wage.
Can an employer apply to pay less than the National Minimum Wage?
An employer can apply for a formal exemption under the National Minimum Wage framework. An exemption is not automatic and must be applied for through the prescribed process.
What should I do if I am paid less than the minimum wage?
Keep records of your hours and payments and contact the Department of Employment and Labour’s Inspection and Enforcement Services. The department currently lists 0860 101 018 for these services.
Will the minimum wage stay R30.23 in 2027?
Not necessarily. The National Minimum Wage is reviewed annually. Use the official 2027 determination once it has been published and becomes effective.
Need Help With a Minimum Wage Problem?
Employment and Labour contacts
Workers who believe they are being paid below the applicable minimum can contact the Department of Employment and Labour and keep their employment records available when reporting the problem.
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