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BL Premium reports that the National Minimum Wage Commission has recommended an inflation plus 1.5% increase for the national minimum wage (NMW) from 1 March, reflecting the requirement to address living costs and ensure fair compensation for workers.
The NMW has been in effect since 2019 when it was pegged at R20 an hour. It has been gradually increased to R27.58. The commission, headed by Imraan Valodia, released its latest recommendations in December 2024. The considerations that went into the proposal for the increase in the NMW included inflation and the cost of living and the need to retain the value of the NMW; the ability of employers to carry on their businesses successfully; SA’s growth levels and the likely effect on employment or employment creation. “The national minimum wage sets a new wage floor below which no workers must be paid. The new floor should ideally raise the wages of those previously earning below the set level,” the commission indicated in its report. If CPI is 5.9% for 2024 (as set out by the Reserve Bank), the NMW will be increased by 8.9% from R27.58 to R30.03. The commission also suggested that NMW adjustments should be effected on 1 January each year.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Thando Maeko at BusinessLive (subscriber access only)
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page