Minimum Wage South Africa 2026

The national minimum wage in South Africa is R30.23 per hour, effective 1 March 2026. Use the calculator below to work out daily, weekly, and monthly minimum pay for any sector, or check if you are being paid fairly.

Minimum Wage Comparison — All Sectors

Based on standard working hours: 8 hours/day, 45 hours/week, 195 hours/month.

National Minimum Wage 2026

The national minimum wage (NMW) in South Africa increased to R30.23 per hour on 1 March 2026, up from R28.79 in 2025 — a 5.0% increase. The NMW was first introduced on 1 January 2019 at R20.00 per hour and has been adjusted annually to keep pace with inflation and the cost of living.

The NMW applies to most workers in South Africa, including full-time, part-time, and casual workers. It sets the floor below which no worker should be paid. Workers on the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) are the notable exception, with a separate rate of R15.16 per hour.

At the standard 45 hours per week (195 hours per month), the minimum monthly wage is R5,894.85. Workers on a 40-hour week earn a minimum of approximately R5,239.87 per month.

Minimum Wage by Sector

Most sectoral minimum wages have been aligned with the national minimum wage since 2024, meaning workers in domestic work, farming, cleaning, retail, hospitality, taxi, and forestry all earn at least R30.23 per hour. The two exceptions are:

• Private Security (Area A): R34.25/hour — higher than the NMW due to the sectoral determination for private security.
• EPWP: R15.16/hour — a separate, lower rate for government public works participants.

Each sector may still have specific rules about deductions, overtime, and conditions of employment as set out in their respective sectoral determinations, even where the hourly rate matches the NMW.

Domestic Worker Minimum Wage 2026

Domestic workers must be paid at least R30.23 per hour from 1 March 2026. This rate was aligned with the national minimum wage in 2024, closing the gap that previously existed between domestic worker pay and the NMW.

Key rules for domestic workers:

• Live-in workers: Employers may deduct a maximum of 10% of the wage for accommodation provided.
• Overtime: Domestic workers are entitled to 1.5x their hourly rate for overtime. Live-in domestic workers may work a maximum of 15 hours overtime per week.
• Leave: At least 15 working days of annual leave, 6 weeks sick leave over 36 months, and 4 consecutive months of maternity leave.
• UIF: Domestic workers must be registered for UIF. Both employer and employee contribute 1% of the worker's salary.
• Contract: A written employment contract is legally required, even for part-time domestic workers.

At 8 hours per day, 5 days per week, a domestic worker should earn a minimum of R5,239.87 per month (40 hours/week). Many domestic workers work 45 hours per week, which means a minimum monthly pay of R5,894.85.

Security Guard Minimum Wage 2026

Private security workers in Area A (major metropolitan areas including Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Pretoria, and other large cities) must be paid at least R34.25 per hour for Grade C-E general guarding. This is higher than the national minimum wage.

The security sector has a graded pay structure:

• Grade A (armed response): Higher hourly rates due to the risk and licensing requirements.
• Grade C-E (general guarding): R34.25/hour in Area A.
• Area B (non-metro areas): Slightly lower rates than Area A, but still above the NMW.

At standard hours (45 hours/week, 195 hours/month), a security guard in Area A earns a minimum of R6,678.75 per month.

Who Is NOT Covered by the Minimum Wage?

While the NMW covers the vast majority of workers, certain categories are excluded or have different arrangements:

• EPWP participants: Receive R15.16/hour under a separate dispensation.
• National Department of Public Works (NDPW) learnerships: May be paid a learnership allowance below the NMW during their training period.
• Volunteers: Genuine volunteers are not covered as they are not in an employment relationship.
• Members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF): Covered by separate legislation.
• Workers employed by the State Intelligence Agency: Excluded from the NMW Act.

Independent contractors are also not covered, but the Department of Labour can investigate whether a person classified as a contractor is actually an employee.

Minimum Wage Increases History

The national minimum wage has increased every year since its introduction in 2019. Here is the full history:

What to Do If You Are Paid Below Minimum Wage

If you are being paid less than the minimum wage, you have several options:

Overtime Pay on Minimum Wage

Workers earning the minimum wage are entitled to overtime pay as follows:

Overtime is limited to a maximum of 10 hours per week under the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA). Live-in domestic workers may work up to 15 hours overtime per week. All overtime must be agreed upon by both the worker and the employer.

For example, a worker earning the NMW who works 5 hours of weekday overtime earns an additional R226.73 (5 x R45.35). Over a month, that adds up to approximately R906.90 extra.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: March 2026. Sources: National Minimum Wage Act (Act 9 of 2018), Government Gazette sectoral determinations, Department of Employment and Labour.