Minimum Wage South Africa 2026: Rates Per Hour & Month

Quick answer: The national minimum wage in South Africa for 2026 is R30.23 for each ordinary hour worked, binding since 1 March 2026. It applies equally to farm and domestic workers. EPWP workers get at least R16.62 an hour. At 160 hours a month, R30.23 works out to roughly R4,837 before deductions.

Key takeaways

The national minimum wage rose by R1.44, from R28.79 to R30.23 per ordinary hour, on 1 March 2026.
Farm workers and domestic workers are entitled to exactly the same R30.23 hourly floor as other workers.
Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) workers fall under a special dispensation and earn at least R16.62 an hour.
Allowances such as transport, food, accommodation, tips and bonuses do not count towards the minimum wage.
The National Minimum Wage Commission is reviewing the rate for 2027, with a final decision expected in early 2027.

Last updated: 3 October 2026

If you want to know the minimum wage South Africa 2026 rate, the short version is R30.23 an hour. Minister of Employment and Labour Nomakhosazana Meth announced the new floor in February, and it became legally binding on 1 March 2026. This guide converts that figure into daily, weekly and monthly pay, shows who earns a different rate, and explains how the review for 2027 is unfolding.

Minimum wage South Africa 2026: what is the hourly rate?

The national minimum wage (NMW) is R30.23 for every ordinary hour worked from 1 March 2026, up from R28.79. That is an increase of R1.44 an hour, or about 5%.

The new rate was published in Government Gazette No. 54075 on 3 February 2026 under the National Minimum Wage Act of 2018. According to Business Report, the change is estimated to affect roughly 5.5 million workers. COSATU (the Congress of South African Trade Unions) described the increase as inflation plus 1.5%, meaning workers gained slightly in real terms.

General workers: R30.23 per hour (previously R28.79)
Farm workers: R30.23 per hour (previously R28.79)
Domestic workers: R30.23 per hour (previously R28.79)
EPWP workers: R16.62 per hour (previously R15.16)

How much is the minimum wage per day, week and month?

At R30.23 an hour, a full eight-hour day pays at least R241.84 and a 40-hour week pays at least R1,209.20. The monthly amount depends on how many hours you actually work, so it is worth checking your own schedule.

The figures below are Jobsiz calculations based on the gazetted hourly rate, before UIF or any other deductions:

8-hour day: R241.84
9-hour day: R272.07
40-hour week: R1,209.20
45-hour week: R1,360.35
160-hour month: R4,836.80
195-hour month (45 hours x about 4.33 weeks): R5,894.85

For example, a cashier in Polokwane, Limpopo, who works 40 hours a week for four weeks (160 hours) must receive at least R4,836.80 for the month. A gardener in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, who works three eight-hour days a week earns at least R725.52 for that week.

Do domestic and farm workers get the same minimum wage?

Yes. Since the rates were equalised, domestic workers and farm workers are entitled to the full R30.23 an hour, exactly like every other covered employee.

This was not always the case. When the NMW started in 2019 at R20 an hour, domestic workers were set at R15 and farm workers at R18. Those lower tiers have since fallen away. If you employ a nanny, cleaner or gardener at home, the same hourly floor applies to you as to any large company.

Who is excluded or paid a different rate?

EPWP workers have their own lower rate, learners receive set allowances instead, and members of three state security services, as well as unpaid volunteers, fall entirely outside the Act. Almost everyone else is covered.

EPWP workers: R16.62 an hour (R132.96 for an eight-hour day, by Jobsiz's calculation), because the programme runs under a special dispensation.
Learners: people on learnership agreements under the Skills Development Act receive the allowances in Schedule 2 of the Act.
Excluded completely: members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), the National Intelligence Agency and the South African Secret Service, as well as unpaid volunteers.
Sector rates: the contract cleaning and wholesale and retail sectors have their own area-based rates and job categories, published on the Department of Employment and Labour website.

What counts towards the minimum wage?

Only your basic pay for ordinary hours counts. Extras paid on top cannot be used to push your wage up to the legal floor.

According to the Department of Employment and Labour, these items are not part of the NMW calculation:

transport, tool, food and accommodation allowances;
payments in kind, such as board or lodging;
tips, bonuses and gifts.

The department is also clear that the minimum cannot be varied by contract or collective agreement. It is an unfair labour practice for an employer to cut your hours or change other conditions on their own when implementing the new rate.

Common mistakes employers and workers make

Most underpayment comes from a few predictable errors. Check your payslip against this list:

Counting a room or meals as part of the wage. Accommodation, food and other payments in kind cannot be used to reach the R30.23 minimum.
Treating tips as salary. Waiters and car guards employed by a business must still receive at least R30.23 an hour from the employer.
Using last year's rate. Payroll systems still set at R28.79 instead of the minimum wage South Africa 2026 figure have been non-compliant since 1 March 2026.
Assuming a monthly figure fits everyone. Your legal minimum is based on actual hours, so a 195-hour month pays more than a 160-hour month.

What happens if your employer pays less?

Paying below the NMW is illegal and can lead to fines. Enforcement sits with two bodies: the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) and the labour department's inspectorate.

Start by keeping your payslips and a record of the hours you work. You can then raise the issue with your employer and, if it is not resolved, take it to the Department of Employment and Labour or the CCMA, the two bodies that enforce the Act. COSATU, as reported by Business Report, welcomed Minister Meth's commitment to employ an additional 20,000 labour inspectors, saying this would strengthen enforcement.

Will the minimum wage increase in 2027?

A new rate for 2027 has not been set yet, but the annual review is under way. The National Minimum Wage Commission invited public submissions, and that first comment window closed on 4 September 2026.

The next steps are the Commission's draft report with proposed figures and a second public comment period. Its recommendations then go to the minister, and BusinessTech reports the department is expected to finalise the adjustment in early 2027. BusinessTech also estimated that an inflation-only rise, using the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) forecast of 4.4%, would take the rate to about R31.56 an hour. Treat that as a projection, not an official figure.

What this means for you

The minimum wage South Africa 2026 rate is the lowest pay your employer may lawfully offer, not a benchmark to aim for. If you earn an hourly wage, multiply your ordinary hours by R30.23 and compare the result with your payslip. If you employ someone, update your payroll now and watch for the Commission's draft report, because the second comment period is your chance to have a say on the 2027 rate.

Frequently asked questions

What is the minimum wage per hour in South Africa in 2026?

It is R30.23 for each ordinary hour worked, effective from 1 March 2026. This replaced the previous rate of R28.79 an hour and applies to farm and domestic workers too.

How much is the minimum wage South Africa 2026 per month?

It depends on your hours. At 160 hours a month the minimum is about R4,836.80, and at 195 hours it is about R5,894.85, based on Jobsiz calculations from the R30.23 hourly rate. Deductions such as UIF come off these amounts.

What is the minimum wage per day in South Africa?

For an eight-hour day, the minimum is R241.84 at the 2026 rate. A nine-hour day comes to R272.07. EPWP workers earn at least R132.96 for an eight-hour day.

How much must I pay my domestic worker in 2026?

You must pay a domestic worker at least R30.23 an hour, the same as the national minimum wage. Food, accommodation and transport allowances cannot be counted towards this amount.

What is the EPWP minimum wage in 2026?

EPWP workers are entitled to at least R16.62 an hour from 1 March 2026, up from R15.16. They fall under a special dispensation rather than the full national minimum wage.

When will the 2027 minimum wage be announced?

No date has been confirmed. The National Minimum Wage Commission is still reviewing the rate, and BusinessTech reports the final adjustment is expected to be determined in early 2027. The 2026 increase took effect on 1 March 2026.

Sources

This article was compiled by Jobsiz from the sources listed above, with AI-assisted writing and automated fact-checking. Published 3 October 2026. We update stories when new verified information becomes available.

Minimum Wage South Africa 2026: Hourly, Daily and Monthly Rates