From 1 March 2026 the national minimum wage rises from R28.79 to R30.23 for every ordinary hour worked, an increase of about 5%. Domestic workers, including nannies, cleaners and gardeners, get this same rate. For a full-time worker on 45 hours a week, the minimum monthly wage becomes R5,894.85, which is R280.80 more than before. This applies to every household that employs a domestic worker in South Africa.
The new rate
- The general national minimum wage rises from R28.79 to R30.23 per ordinary hour worked.
- It takes effect on 1 March 2026.
- The increase is about 5.0%, which is above inflation.
- The rate applies to domestic workers (nannies, cleaners and gardeners) and to farm workers. Their rate stays equal to the general rate, keeping the equal-pay change first made in 2022.
- The increase was announced by the Minister of Employment and Labour, Nomakhosazana Meth.
- Around one million domestic workers rely on this legal floor.
How the increase was worked out
The National Minimum Wage Commission (NMWC) set the increase using a formula meant to protect real earnings:
- Inflation baseline: the previous year's headline Consumer Price Index (CPI), pegged at 3.2% for 2026.
- Equity adjustment: an extra 1.5% so the lowest-paid workers see pay growth ahead of the general cost of living.
- Total: CPI (3.2%) plus equity (1.5%) = 4.7%, rounded to about 5.0%.
What it costs household employers
The new rate raises the cost of employing a domestic worker. Households carry this cost inside their own budgets, which are already stretched by high interest rates and utility bills.
Here is the minimum gross monthly wage from 1 March 2026 for common working patterns. Hours per month are the weekly hours multiplied by 4.33, paid at R30.23 an hour:
- Full time, 45 hours a week (195 hours a month): R5,894.85, up R280.80.
- Standard, 40 hours a week (173.2 hours a month): R5,235.84, up R249.41.
- Part time, 3 days a week or 24 hours (103.9 hours a month): R3,140.90, up R149.62.
- Char, 1 day a week or 8 hours (34.6 hours a month): R1,045.96, up R49.82.
Even if a worker is there for a shorter time, you must pay for at least four hours a day. At R30.23 an hour, that four-hour minimum is R120.92 a day.
Other compliance costs
Employers must budget for more than the hourly rate. These are required by law and carry penalties if ignored:
- UIF (Unemployment Insurance Fund): the employer contributes 1% of the gross wage. For a R5,895 salary that is R58.95.
- COIDA (Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act): domestic workers are covered, following the Mahlangu court ruling. The minimum annual assessment for household employers is R560.00 for the 2026 cycle.
Cutting a worker's hours or changing their working conditions to make up for the wage increase counts as an unfair labour practice, and a worker can take it to the CCMA.
What the increase means for workers
The 5.0% rise is welcome, but the minimum wage still sits below what a typical family needs to live on.
Figures from the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group (PMBEJD):
- Monthly minimum-wage income (21 days, 8 hours a day): R4,836.72.
- Average household food basket (January 2026): R5,401.44.
- The gap: a full-time domestic worker's minimum wage falls R564.72 short of just covering basic food for a family, before transport, electricity or school costs are added.
A single domestic worker's wage often supports nearly four dependents, so income per person stays well below the official Lower-Bound Poverty Line.
The compliance gap
The R30.23 rate only helps if employers actually pay it. Statistics South Africa and other providers report that the middle (median) earnings for domestic workers are well below the legal minimum, which suggests nearly half of the workforce is paid unlawfully low wages. Around 80% of employers still run informal, non-compliant arrangements, with no UIF and no legal contracts. Fear of losing their job often stops workers from reporting employers who underpay, so the minimum wage stays a rule on paper rather than what many workers actually take home.
Where things stand
The 2026 increase cements equal pay and the equal value of domestic work through full wage parity. It does not yet secure a decent standard of living. A true living wage would cover food, transport and basic utilities, and getting there needs structural changes such as subsidised transport and a broader social wage.
Employers are encouraged to pay the new rate in full, register for UIF and COIDA, and give every worker a written employment contract.
Sources
The Department of Employment and Labour, the National Minimum Wage Commission, Statistics South Africa, and the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group (PMBEJD).
You can check any wage against the law with the Fair Wage Calculator, and AskMandla keeps your contract, payslips and UIF admin sorted over WhatsApp so your pay records always match the current rate.