News24 reports that Minister of Labour Mildred Oliphant is due on Monday to update the media on the progress made regarding the National Minimum Wage (NMW) bill.  She is expected to outline what the parliamentary process will entail and the way forward.  

The NMW was to have been implemented from 1 May, but last week acting chairwoman of the parliamentary portfolio committee on labour, Sharome van Schalkwyk, agreed to proposals that the deadline be pushed back.  This was to allow MPs time to consider the more than 40 public submissions received on the draft legislation.  The SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) had demanded that Parliament give more time to debate the wage bill and amendments to other labour laws, as well as to consult those most affected, namely workers.  In a statement, Saftu demanded that Oliphant reopen the debate and welcome more submissions.  The Democratic Alliance had also argued that there would not be enough time to consider the bill to enable it to be ready for approval by 27 March.

• Based on reports at Business Live and News24

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