Minimum Wage South Africa 2026: Breakdown by Sector

South Africa's National Minimum Wage (NMW) was introduced in 2019 under the National Minimum Wage Act, No. 9 of 2018, a landmark piece of legislation that for the first time set a legally enforceable pay floor for virtually every worker in the country. Since then the rate has been reviewed and increased every year. For the period starting 1 March 2026, the rate stands at R30.23 per ordinary hour.

What Does R30.23 Per Hour Mean in Monthly Terms?

Because the NMW is set per hour, the monthly equivalent depends entirely on how many hours you work each week. There is no fixed minimum monthly salary in South African law, only the hourly floor. The table below shows what the NMW means for the most common work patterns:

Monthly figures are calculated as weekly minimum × 13 ÷ 3 (four and one-third, the average number of weeks per month). These are gross amounts before deductions: UIF of 1% and PAYE (if applicable) are deducted from the gross.

Minimum Wage by Worker Category: 2026

A few worker categories are treated differently from the general rate. Here are the main ones for 2026:

Sector-Specific Minimum Wages Above the NMW

The R30.23/hour NMW is a floor, but a handful of sectors have their own sectoral determinations that set higher minimums for their workers. These sectoral rates were updated alongside the general NMW in Government Gazette No. 54075, with the same effective date of 1 March 2026. Where a sectoral rate is higher, the worker must be paid at least that rate. A sectoral or bargaining-council rate below R30.23 does not lower the floor: the national minimum wage takes precedence over any contrary sectoral determination or collective agreement (NMW Act section 4(6)).

Contract Cleaning: Sectoral Determination 1

Contract cleaning employees are paid more than the general NMW, with the exact rate depending on where they work:

In KwaZulu-Natal, contract cleaning wages and conditions are set by the collective agreement of the Bargaining Council for the Contract Cleaning Service Industry (BCCCI) rather than these SD1 rates.

Wholesale and Retail: Sectoral Determination 9

The wholesale and retail sector has its own job-category wage scale, which is also higher than the general NMW for most roles. A sample of full-time (more than 27 hours/week) rates:

Area A covers major metropolitan and local municipalities (Cape Town, Johannesburg, Tshwane, Ekurhuleni, eThekwini and others listed in the gazette); Area B covers municipalities not listed under Area A. The full schedule covers 15 job categories from general assistant through to manager, with separate rates for employees working 27 hours or less per week; see Government Gazette No. 54075 for the complete table.

Learnership Allowances: Schedule 2

Workers on a registered learnership agreement under the Skills Development Act are paid a weekly allowance instead of the NMW, scaled by NQF level and the number of credits the learner has already earned:

Every learner, regardless of NQF level, starts at R455.00 per week for their first 0–120 credits earned. The allowance increases as the learner progresses through credit bands, with higher-NQF-level learnerships reaching higher ceilings. A learner is covered by UIF like any other employee, unless they work fewer than 24 hours a month for the employer.

How the Minimum Wage Has Increased Year on Year

The NMW has grown significantly since its introduction. The table below shows the annual progression:

Since 2019 the NMW has increased by just over 51%, reflecting both inflation adjustments and a deliberate policy to lift the earnings floor for low-income workers. The National Minimum Wage Commission publishes its recommendation annually, and the Minister of Employment and Labour gazetted the R30.23 rate for 2026 following that process.

What the NMW Covers and What It Does Not

The NMW covers all ordinary hours

The R30.23 rate applies to every ordinary hour you work. An employer cannot average out the rate across a week or pay below R30.23 for some hours to make up for higher rates elsewhere. Every single hour of ordinary work must attract at least the NMW.

Overtime above the NMW

Overtime must still be paid at the BCEA rates on top of the NMW base. At minimum wage, your 1.5× weekday overtime rate is R30.23 × 1.5 = R45.35 per hour, and your 2× Sunday rate is R30.23 × 2 = R60.46 per hour. An employer who pays NMW for all hours including overtime is in breach of both the NMW Act and the BCEA.

Deductions from minimum wage

Deductions come off a wage that already meets the NMW: the National Minimum Wage Act counts only the money paid for ordinary hours and leaves out payment in kind such as board or accommodation, unless a sectoral determination says otherwise (section 5). The law permits some deductions, such as PAYE and UIF. For domestic workers, Sectoral Determination 7 lets an employer deduct not more than 10% of the wage for accommodation, and only if the accommodation is weatherproof and in good condition, with a window, a lockable door and a toilet and a bath or shower if there is no other bathroom. The determination does not require a written agreement for this deduction, though a written record protects both sides. For farm workers, Sectoral Determination 13 caps accommodation and food deductions at 10% of the worker's wage. Where more than two farm workers share communal accommodation, the total for the group is also capped at 25% of one farm worker's minimum wage. For a domestic worker the cash wage meets R30.23 an hour first, and the accommodation deduction comes off it.

Who does the NMW cover?

The NMW Act applies to workers: anyone who works for another and is paid, or is entitled to be paid, for that work, in money or in kind. It excludes unpaid volunteers. The Act does not name independent contractors, so a contract that calls you one does not settle whether the NMW applies. What matters is whether you work for another for pay. If you are in practice an employee, you keep all your NMW and BCEA rights. The Contractor vs Employee Calculator can help you assess your classification.

If Your Employer Pays Below Minimum Wage

Underpaying the NMW is unlawful. A labour inspector can secure a written undertaking or issue a compliance order, and a fine follows if the employer ignores the order. As an affected worker, you have several options:

1. Raise it with your employer first. In many cases, underpayment is a payroll error rather than deliberate non-compliance. A written request citing the current NMW and the shortfall is often enough to resolve it.
2. Report to the Department of Employment and Labour. Labour inspectors have the power to enter workplaces, demand payroll records, secure written undertakings and issue compliance orders. Complaints can be lodged at any DOL regional office or online via the Department's website.
3. Refer a dispute to the CCMA. Under Section 73A of the BCEA, an employee may refer a minimum wage dispute to the CCMA for arbitration. The process is free of charge and the CCMA can order the employer to pay the underpaid amount. If the employer ignores a compliance order, the BCEA fine for a first failure to comply is the greater of twice the underpayment or twice the employee's monthly wage.

If you are an employer, the Payroll Cost Calculator shows the full monthly cost per employee, including UIF, SDL and COIDA contributions on top of the NMW rate.

Frequently Asked Questions